Elements and Fate
by Little Star
Summary: Five siblings and their divorced parents that are gifted and cursed by the elements are forcibly summoned to middle earth.Loved ones are reunited,A husband is lost, a brother sacrifices himself, a sister flies and a child is given life.
1. Chapter 1

She sat at the computer checking her e-mails, glancing over the spam and rhythmically clicking the delete button. She still hadn't received an email from her sister. When their parents divorced the five children were forced to choose who they would live with. Charlie and Adam moved to Michigan with their father. Meredith and Christopher decided to go to Texas with the mother. But Alexis, the third oldest and twin sister of Adam did not get along with either of her parents. Alexis, unlike her quiet and docile brother, couldn't stand their parents and chose to move in with her grandfather Joe and grandmother Loretta. It had been five years since the siblings had all been together. All being no more then a year apart they were very close, at one point. But there was also something very unusual about these children, like their mother and their mothers mother they inherited a dominant gene that had been passed down from generation to generation. They knew that their grandmother was not from the US but their mother would never talk about it. Where their grandmother was from things were different. And because things were different her children were different and their children's children were different. So they began to call themselves Elementals. Human with the skill to change their form and have limited control over one element. Their were always five children, never six never four always five. There were Elementals scattered all over the world, but until the fifth child was born none would come into their full powers, that's why many never even knew they were different.

Charlie, the oldest, was 19 with flaming red hair and muddy green eyes. Standing at six feet and four inches he was the proud and diligent one who was always looking out for everyone. Charlie was all manners and kindness while Adam was docile and quiet. Adam preferred to lock himself in a room with a book. With light brown hair Adam was six feet flat, two inches above his twin. The only thing they had in common was their appearance, with light blue eyes and fair skin but other than that they were complete opposites. Alexis was loud and wild, even when they were little Alexis was the one who beat up the bullies and never cried. But Alexis was also the one who got into the most trouble, before she was eighteen she had been arrested twice for fights at the high school and she was the one who always got caught sneaking in from party's drunk. Meredith, the younger sister was cute and quiet, never drawing attention to herself but was a star track runner. With long curly strawberry blonde hair and the purest green eyes she stood at five six and can only be described as quirky and sweet. Christopher, the youngest and now at age sixteen stood at six feet one inch with sandy blonde hair, bright blue eyes and sun tanned skin. Chris was the jock, he was a line backer for his sophomore football A team and was proud of it.

Alexis was ten when the divorce became final and the custody battle began. Refusing to choose a parent or lesser of the two evils Alexis moved in with her mothers parents in Oklahoma City. She packed her bags and called her grandparents, four hours later she was on a plane and had not seen them since.

Alexis's cell phone rang; she had just dropped her backpack on the floor of her bedroom. It was a Friday afternoon in November and the first semester of her second year at Oklahoma State; she went to her grandparent's house every weekend.

Her grandmother was at her bridge club and her grandfather was probably at the nearest bar with his old navy buddies leaving Alexis and Harley, her Doberman she had gotten on her sixteenth birthday from her grandfather.

She gave a sharp whistle and seconds later a large, stocky dog lumbered into the bedroom and jumped up onto the mint green bed comforter with little lilac flowers all over it.

Alexis wrapped her arms around the dog's neck and scratched him behind the ears.

"You miss me," the dog gave her a slobbery lick on the hand and shove his head under it.

"Some guard dogs your supposed to be Harley, wanna cookie?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small packet of Oreos and tossed one to him.

She sighed and began to change into her jogging suit. "Ready to go to stars and stripes? Good." She headed out of the room and paused waiting for him to figure out how to jump off of the bed.

Her mind floated away as they jogged, Harley's leash wrapped around her waist when a loud buzzing broke her concentration.

"Yo," she flipped the phone open slowing to a stop and stepping off of the path.

"Something's wrong, Lexy something is really wrong. I was talking to Charlie and he just started screaming, I don't know what-"

"Yo yo yo, whoa slow down Mer what's wrong? Did you call dad or mom?"

"Mom wont answer her phone, Chris is freaked out and neither Adam nor dad will answer I'm really scared, I know something really bad happened and Chris agrees. He said he had a strange dream last night and you know that strange things happen to us cause of, well, you know."

She began unhooking the leash from her waist, "I can be in Lansing in about six hours, do you want me to book you and Chris tickets from Dallas?" Alexis began jogging back to her car.

"No, please hurry I think something happened. What the hell-" there was a loud clatter and scream in the background. Alexis heard Chris shouting for something to stop and lock the door.

Alexis shoved her phone into her pocket and sprinted past other joggers and children to her car, opening the door Harley leapt in.

As soon as she reached the house, without even turning the car off she called the house number. Leaving Harley out in the car she waited until the ringing stopped and the answering machine kicked in. She left a hurried message as she changed quickly into her dark jeans and favorite black shirt.

She began throwing she could get her hands on into her backpack, grabbing her laptop and two small knives and her pepper spray. Alexis then grabbed a second bag and went jogged into the second bedroom, rummaging under the bed she pulled out a long box that held three guns and ammunition.

Her grandfather, being an old navy seal that fought in two wars, believed that she should learn how to protect herself. Plus he wanted her to join the navy as an officer after she got her degree and wanted her to be prepared. Which meant school September through June and military camp in between.

Clicking the safety on she loaded one of the guns and put it in her sweater kanga pocket and threw the rest into her backpack. She then yanked on her black cowboy boots and rushed out the door. She threw her stuff into the back seat and peeled out of the driveway to make the eight hour drive to Dallas, Texas.

It was dark by the time she got to her mothers house in Rockwall. Alexis's mother preferred houses in the country opposed to suburbs. Therefore the large two story brick house was nearly half an hour outside the small town. They called it the Rose House, their mother was a big gardener, having her own landscaping business and all, and so the house had a huge rose garden out front. It was one thing Alexis loved about the house other than that it had always had a feeling of restraint and conformant that she couldn't stand.

She got out of the car, letting Harley out behind her. Harley raised his head up and began sniffing the air, his hackles rose and he lowered his head and a guttural growl rumbled through his chest.

Never before in the three years has she ever heard Harley growl, nothing made him growl. Not even one of her ex's breaking into her room, all Harley did was bark at him and he nearly wet himself.

All of the lights in the house were off and the front door was locked. Alexis rang the doorbell and waited. She jumped when Harley gave a feral bark and took off around the side of the house.

Alexis ran back to her car and grabbed the loaded gun out of the blue messenger bag and his leash then ran after him putting on her black studded gloves as she ran after him.

"Harley stop, no, bad dog!" she screamed desperately after him. If he ever attacked someone they would put him down just because of his breed.

As she rounded the corner back to the porch what she saw scared the hell out of her. All of the windows were smashed; one of the couches was halfway through the floor-to-ceiling window. Harley was staring at one of the smashed windows; the broken glass was covered in blood so dark that if it weren't for the smell she wouldn't recognize it.

She rolled the sleeves on her sweater above her elbow and pulled the gun out, stepping cautiously through the window and pointing it at the ground.

"What the fuck is going on, Harley, heel." The dog trotted up and stood two steps behind her right hand. Anna walked through the wrecked kitchen, broken glass and dishes were all over the floor.

Pulling out her phone she redialed Meredith's number, not expecting to hear the phone start chiming she froze and strained her ears to hear. She bolted from the kitchen and up the stairs by the front door, when she reached the top the chiming stopped.

"Mer!," she opened the nearest door and scanned the room as she pushed redial. Alexis ran further down the hall and around the corner where Meredith's room was. The door was smashed open. Her dresser had been in front of it but was now in pieces. She shoved the debris aside and began shouting for her younger sister.

There was no sign of anyone, not Christopher, not Meredith and not mom. Alexis collapsed on her sister's bed holding the phone not knowing what to do. Harley whined and sat his large head on her lap. There was a loud crack and the crunching of steps on broken glass. Anger seethed up through her body as she struggled to keep her human form.


	2. Chapter 2

Her once human blue eyes became streaked with gold and green as the pupils turned to slits. The darkness that enveloped the house changed into a myriad of different colors nearly as bright as day. Harleys floppy ears perked up as he licked her hand and whined uneasily, but his soft demeanor shift quickly as there was a sound in the hall. Harley gave a happy bark and bounded out the door.

Trusting him, but being cautious she peeked out the destroyed door and saw a familiar shadow.

"What the fuck is going on Chuck? I want to know now." Shoving her way through the broken door she glared at the brother she never got along with.

He was crouching down and petting Harley as the dog wagged his tail.

"That's what I want to know, we were attacked by deformed looking people. But I think they were goblins. I managed to get away, but they got Adam and dad. I called the police, they wouldn't believe me so I called here, I was talking to Chris when I hear snarling and shouting in a strange language," Charlie was always very matter-of-fact and rarely showed emotion, "I got the first flight here, sorry I didn't call. I know I should have but I talked to grandmother and she said you went to visit mom so I thought-"

"You thought that I did this, you thought that I lost control of my beast and attacked them, my younger sister and brother. Just because of that one time you immediately jumped to the, Alexis went berserk track." She hissed between her teeth as she stood merely inches from him. "How dare you even suggest it."

He looked down at her with indifference, "You have very little control over your emotions young sister," he stepped away from her, "you are already loosing control. Your eyes have already changed and you're beginning to snarl, very unbecoming."

"Screw you, come on lets go back to ok and have a chat with our grandparents." She tried to push past him but he grabbed her arm.

"Do you swear to me that you had nothing to do with this, you didn't make one of your little outlaw or gang friends mad." Alexis jerked her arm out of his hand and in a sharp twist he was slammed back against the wall, his eye feeling as if it had popped out of his head as her fist connected with his cheek.

Alexis brushed past him, patting her thigh to summon Harley. When she reached to bottom of the stairs, Charlie stumbled over to the edge of the landing and shouted for her to run.

A loud snarl and the sound of wood cracking as the front door was smashed in sent her running back up the stairs. She grabbed Charlie's arm and yanked him behind her as she ran back to Meredith's room.

"Help me, Harley back-back," Alexis grabbed Meredith's bookcase and began shoving it across the room to block the door. They then knocked the laptop off of the desk and put it in front of it. The bookcase shook as something rammed into the broken door.

Alexis was staring at the door, a calm settled in her chest as always before she got into a fight. She pulled the gun out of her kanga pocket and backed into the room, placing herself between Charlie and the door.

"Find a window, break it with the bed comforter and a book so it doesn't make to much noise," Alexis whispered not taking her eyes at the now silent door, "and hurry something's going on out there."

Harley whined and licked her hand, she scratched behind his ear. She stood there, straining to hear what was happening on the other side of the door but refusing to get any closer.

"So, Lex where did you learn all this stuff?" he grunted as he pounded the book against the window, the double paned glass cracking.

She gave a quick glance back at him, "What? Shut up and hit it you sissy-ass idiot."

He sighed and hit it harder, "Mom had the house made storm proof so none of the windows open or break easily."

Alexis rolled her eyes and backed towards the window and horse-kicked backwards, smashing the window. "Idiot," she muttered and kicked it again. Yanking the book out of his hand she began knocking the glass off of the bottom and threw the comforter over it.

"You jump down first, hang onto the gutter then let go. My cars unlocked, let Harley into the back then get in and start it, I'm driving." She handed him the keys as the door gave another shudder and the solid wood bookcase cracked, one of the shelves slumping and then cracking on the desk top.

"Hurry, go, Harleys been trained to jump from heights, Go!" she kicked his leg not taking her eyes off of the door as something screamed on the other side. She heard the thump of him hitting the ground and then Harley.

She stared at the door taking aim as there was a shout and something dark and deformed burst through the bookcase and onto the desk brandishing a sword. She didn't even think before pulling the trigger, her arm giving a slight jerk. She stared at the creature taking a step towards it snarling face paralyzed in death. She leapt back as another of the creatures leapt through the door and slashed out at her, she fired the gun again then turned and ran out of the window and onto the kitchen roof. She leapt off the end stumbling and falling as she hit the ground, her legs numb from the impact all the way up to her waist.

Alexis forced herself up and ran as fast as she could as two of the creatures followed her out the window. She never looked back as she jumped over the hood of the car and into the drivers seat. Alexis and Charlie both screamed as one of the creatures leapt onto the roof of the car and stabbed a long blade through it. Anna jerked the handle into drive and her tires screamed as she drove down the driveway, the creature flying off of the roof.

"What the fuck is going on?" Alexis screamed slamming her hands on the steering wheel, her brother sitting there silent and looked as if he was in shock. "Say something," she glance over at his blank face staring mindlessly out the window. "Just say something damn it," she screamed suppressed panic welling up in her throat.

She saw something glowing out of her still multi-colored eyes and looked quickly to the side. The glowing was coming from the knife blade sticking through the roof of the car.

"Charlie," she said looking at him from the corner of her eye then shouted his name louder. "Get that thing out of my car, I don't know what's going to happen just get it out-"

Before she even finished her sentence a thunderous roar followed by a blinding light jerked her forward. She screamed, something burning pierced her skin as she felt her body being propelled forward. Screaming metal and the familiar smashing of glass and Harley's scream followed her into darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

Gasping, as if trying to breathe in water she laid on her side on the damp ground. Alexis coughed, everything around her was dark and shadowed by clouds overhead. She could smell smoke and gas as she attempted to roll over. But let out a small scream as the ripped skin bleeding under her shredded clothes screamed. The headlights of the car were both smashed; the front was wrapped around a tree, literally. Something whined next to her and began sniffing behind her ear and licking it worriedly.

She waved her hand limply in the air trying to make it work then finally made contact with the worried pet, "I'm ok, I'm baby. Find Charlie, get Charlie."

The dog laid down next to her and she rolled over wrapping her arms around his neck, he then managed to pull her up. Using him as a prop she managed to stand. Alexis stumbled forward, nearly falling on the hood of the car as she tried to navigate her way around it.

"Ow, shit ow. You are never driving again kido, you hear me never. I think I have a concussion," Charlie reached over blindly to touch his sister sitting in the drivers seat but found no one there. He began to pat the seat furiously not finding her, then reached up and hit the overhead light.

The drivers seat was empty, as he looked up the dashboard was covered splattered blood. The windshield was smashed where it appeared a person had flown through it. He could see the paw prints of a dog in the blood leading carefully through the scattered broken glass and off of the hood of the car.

Something thumped against his window and he screamed and jerked away from it then realized who it was.

Alexis fell backwards as the car door opened and Charlie rolled out onto the ground in front of her, groaning.

"You ok Chuck?" she whispered lying there on her side looking over at him.

"Yeah fine, you?" she glared at him through the dark.

"No you idiot, I just flew through a sheet of glass of course I'm not alright, fucking-son of a bitch!" Alexis screamed as every inch of her body burned from him yanking her arm.

"Please don't do that again," Alexis managed to whisper hoping to black out, but she wasn't lucky enough.

The two of them fell into an exhausted sleep until the glaring sun managed to penetrate their dreams.

Their bodies ached from sleeping on the hard, cold, damp ground. Alexis's clothes were plastered to her body with dried blood.

Her body ached and screamed as someone lifted her off of the ground and began walking. She opened her eyes and was staring over the shoulder of Charlie, he some how managed to get her on to his back.

She opened her dry mouth and managed to croak out a question. "Where we goin Chuck?"

"We're only a few miles from a river or stream, I think. Harley found it and is leading the way."

An hour or so later she felt her body hit the ground painfully, Alexis did her best not to scream but she couldn't stop the tears.

A disembodied voice shouted something, shaking her but she couldn't understand him. She woke up to freezing water being poured down one of her arms. Alexis tried to pull away but didn't have the will.

"Don't move, I'm trying to get your clothes off so I can see how bad the cuts are," Charlie murmured as he concentrated on cutting the shirtsleeve off delicately.

It took them several hours to get the entire shirt cut off leaving her shivering in her bra. Charlie managed to get a fire started and a pot of boiling water. The next few agonizing hours consisted of her lying on her stomach while he washed the scabs full of glass shards and pulled what pieces of glass he could see out of the wounds.

By the time he finished it was dark and Harley had disappeared again. Charlie had taken one of her old cotton shirts she kept in the backseat of her car and had shredded it and turned it into makeshift bandages.

For the first time in the last couple of days she could lay down without any pain. Alexis curled up, wrapped up in a blanket half drunk. She had made it a rule to keep at least two bottles of some kind of alcohol under the front seats, 'just in case'.

She woke up around midnight; her body was burning uncomfortably to a point where it was almost painful. Alexis closed her eyes and let the painful burning take over her body and force its way through her skin, her wounds ripped then healed almost instantly as her skin grew thick black fur. Alexis screamed in pain as her bones grated, broke and re-grew into a form that was far from human.

Charlie was jolted from his sleep from Alexis scream; he nearly flew sky high when he realized she was taking her other form. He sat there breathing heavily as a large creature standing on all fours stared at him with otherworldly eyes.

Alexis once blue eyes were now filled with wisps of gold and green, the cat eyes stared back at him. Alexis rolled her eyes and curled up on the blanket and went back to sleep.

The next morning , she was still in her other form, they put out the fire and Harley led them back to the car.

Alexis shifted back to get a better look at it. Charlie quickly turned his back on her and began to dig through the wrecked vehicle for something they could use.

Alexis pulled her bag out of the backseat and took out her computer, when she opened it she gave a grunt of despair and then chucked it back into the car.

"My computer is completely busted! I haven't even had it for six months," she groaned as she dumped her clothes onto the forest floor and began to only pack the essentials.

"Here, Chuck you can have this sweatshirt, it should fit you. Its too big on me." She tossed the plain gray shit at him.

Charlie pulled out a pack of plain white, cotton shirts that were still wrapped up in a Wal-Mart bag along with a toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear, shorts, a leotard, leg warmers and tights.

"Why is all of this stuff in here?" He tossed the bag at her. Alexis quickly stripped out of her shredded clothes and began to rip open plastic packages and change into the items in the bag. She then pulled on one of the pair of low rider jeans that had tares in the knees.

Charlie watched in interest as she began to sort through the clothes, she finally pulled on a black cotton cami and over it what looked like a corset.

"You have some very interesting clothes. Why don't you just run around naked, I'm sure no one would see any difference. And why do you even own a leotard, let alone are wearing it?" he leaned over and began stuffing stuff back inside of the bag along with the three bottles of water and four boxes of chocolate and peanut butter power bars.

She glared at him as she pulled the leg warmers on under the jeans then put on a black leather jacket that she had stowed in the trunk. "For your info, Chuck," she spat out, "I'm going to school on a dance scholarship, which is also my major. Unlike the rest of you, I don't want to be a doctor. Oh and by the way do you want to know what my night job is," she smirked holding her hands above her head and swaying her hips.

He put the backpack on and shook his head, "You might want to bring you other bag and those guns, we might need them."

After yanking the knife out of the top of the car and threw it in the bottom of the bag she finished packing the rest of the stuff and whistled for Harley. Alexis could already hear crashing underbrush as Harley bolted past them before she even finished the whistle.

Charlie grabbed her arm and began running full out after him. Alexis twisted around and saw what they were running from, those ugly creatures.

"Charlie we can't out run them, turn, quickly." They stopped and with unnatural speed they took off anything bulky and stuffed it in the bag as their forms twisted and dislocated. Alexis strapped both bags onto Charlie's back before shifting.

"Charlie, run follow Harley, I'll catch up in a few minutes." Charlie gave her a look with his amber eyes before disappearing after the dog.

Alexis turned around and faced the mass of looked like ten creatures, her bare feet and hands elongated. Her teeth grew sharp as she fell forward. She let out a feline scream and lunged at the nearest creature in mid-shift. Her claws ripped its throat out and it fell to the ground gurgling. Alexis, her black coat decorated with faint brown spots like a leopard turned and slashed out at her next opponent. She ducked and slashed out with her razor claws. Four now lay dead, their throats gone. Two of the creatures turned and ran leaving what looked like the three leaders to face her.

She growled and leapt at the one in the middle, sinking her teeth into him, the other two were dead in less then a minute. Alexis looked up and scented the air, blood filling every inch of her body. She caught the scent of the other two and chased after them.

She found it, running from her. She screamed and leapt at him, knocking him onto his back. Alexis straddled him as she shifted back to her human form, bearing her teeth she growled at him, her finger sinking into the claw marks on his chest.

"Who sent you? Where is my family?" she screamed at him, bringing her face closer to his.

He laughed, blood gurgling in the back of his throat. "Took them we did, but they fought and escaped. Master was not pleased. After you we were sent, when you were not found with them, now we are dead. He will find and kill you all." The creature gargled and fell back, his evil yellow cat eyes staring at the sky.

Alexis screamed in fury and threw herself off of the disgusting creature, kicking him with her bear feet. She froze as her heightened senses heard the creak of wood. Something whistled through the air, she threw herself flat as an arrow zipped past her face and into the creatures head. She began to shift, her blood splattered body, as she looked up into the trees around her. She could see several shadows in the shape of humans standing in the trees, all with bows drawn tight.

She snarled and threw herself into the forest, shifting and running and dodging faster than she ever had. She ran until dawn, her pursuers lost in the night.

She eventually found the creek from before, Alexis threw her cat body into the water and rolled around. The water turned muddy and brown with all the blood that had soaked into her fur.

Wet and clean she headed up stream in search of her brother and dog. She could smell her brothers wolf form on the air as she ran up stream. She froze when she heard an all to familiar roar. A happy thrill went through her and she ran as fast as she could in the direction from where the roar had come from.

Alexis stopped at the edge of an outcropping and looked down the hill. She could see Charlie's red wolf, Adam's dark, golden lion, and Meredith's strawberry horse. Alexis leapt off the outcropping and skidded down the hill.


	4. Chapter 4

For five days the four of them alternated between running and sleeping, on the fifth they met up with Christopher in his white buck form. Chris was the youngest, but had the strongest gift and was the one with the most potential to be someone great out of all of them.

On the seventh they entered a small mountain range and their parents. The others were overjoyed at seeing the two of them, but Alexis ignored them and just kept her distance.

The both Renee and Robert were in their human form with their five offspring found them. Later that day the seven of them discovered a completely different world they had been living in for the last two weeks.

Alexis, who remained in her animal form when they entered the large dwelling, had still not said a word since their meeting. She sat calmly, next the Harley, ignoring the stares the strange humanoid creatures gave them. Two elves, both heavily armed lead the group through the main hall of the artful building to a pavilion. There a man with long dark hair stood and behind him stood two, what appeared to be, identical twins and a young woman who held remarkable beauty.

The man gave a slight bow, "I am Elrond, I welcome you graciously into our home and hope you will be comfortable here children of the gods." Alexis's ears perked up curious at this introduction.

"Lord Elrond, thank you for meeting with us. I would like to introduce to you our full and recovered family. As you have heard, our two missing children who we had been searching for were found south of here. I would like to introduce to you Charles Brian Gray, our oldest son."

Meredith reached down and pulled tightly at one of Alexis's ears. Alexis gave a quiet hiss before turning back into her human form. The humanoids watched, fascinated, as the large cat turned into a young human woman. Alexis's short brown hair hung just above her shoulders, her bangs were straight and nearly covered her eyes. She looked up through them as she stood up, her low cut and tight outfit giving a good view and not leaving much to imagine as she stood up.

Alexis smirked and brushed her purple and blue streaked hair behind her ears.

"And this is Alexis Leona Gray, our oldest daughter and younger twin of our second son Adam."

Alexis looked Elrond in the eye and gave a little wave, "What's up Gramps." Elrond raised an eyebrow and inclined his head.

Renee glared at her oldest daughter before continuing, "Please excuse Alexis, she is tired from the travel." Alexis rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

Three elves lead them from the pavilion and two the second story of the house. Alexis's room was two lefts and a right and the door at the end of the hall from the stairs.

Alexis and Adam would be sharing the room, Meredith and Renee the room to the right and Charlie, Robert and Chris the room to the left.

As soon as Anna shut the door Adam threw himself at her, embracing his sister for the first time in three years.

Shocked at first, she smiled and squeezed her twin back, "Your taller," she murmured.

"So are you, Lexy-lee I have so much to fill you in with." He pulled her towards one of the beds and they sat cross-legged on it, facing each other.

She smiled staring at her brothers face, he had changed so much that she didn't even recognize him from their last picture together at her sweet sixteen. But that party had ended in disaster with the cops showing up and several of her friends, who had brought 'anti-cop stuff' as she called were arrested and Adam sent home the next day.

The sat there talking for hours about the last couple of years, Alexis enjoyed the look on his face when she told him about her job as a 'bartender' at a local bar.

"there's some stuff I can't tell you, I'm not allowed to until Lord Elrond say's its alright."

"Who is this Elrond guy? Is he the one who sent those things after us?" Alexis leaned back against the footboard.

"Something is happening here, its something similar to what happened fifty something years ago in our world. This Sauron guy once tried to take over middle earth, by force but was stopped when everyone banded against him. The one thing that was his power source was a ring, the ring disappeared but was found again by a midget or hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He's a friend of Elrond and still has the ring in his possession in some place called the Shire. Your not going to like this part, Elrond thinks this Sauron had one of his servants try to summon more power but accidentally opened a rift into several parallel worlds. Orcs were sent into these worlds to bring back the most powerful weapons or scorers they could find."

Worry flickered across Alexis's face for only a second, "We're the only full five in the U.S. right now. Most of the others have died out or haven't come into their full powers or are too old aren't they?"

"That was part of the problem, apparently this guy has spent months in our world tracking and searching for us. He human servants from this world, follow, learn and study our world and culture to a point where he had them find and track us all down. They couldn't find you though, and Charlie managed to escape in his other form." There was a knock at the door.

They looked up as Charlie opened the door holding two sets of clothes, "Mom said to follow to take a bath and get ready for the welcoming dinner and she wants to have a word with you before the dinner Alexis." He laid the clothes on the nearest bed then left.

"The baths here a cool, come on."

Adam had been right about the baths being cool, the water wasn't warm and it wasn't cold. The womens bathing room was large and held six metal tubs all half in-ground and full of water. Near the door was a stone ledge piled in fluffy sheets of different shades depending on their size. Next to each tub was a table with a set of stacked bowls and many small crystal bottles, each with a hand written label and description in different languages.

Alexis picked up one that said "hair cleansing" and used it to scrub the girme and dirt, from what felt like weeks, that had built up. She wrapped herself in a large green sheet and her hair in a small brown one and made her way through the empty hall back to the room. There was a woman who greeted her, holding the dress in one arm and a basket in the other.

"I am to help you dress, I was told you are not familiar with our style," she smiled and gestured to the stool.

Alexis, who was not shy in the least, set the wet sheet on the bed and began to put on the undergarments as directed. The light pink corset was worn over a plain white under shirt that was decorated with small birds and lace around the edges. The dress she held up was a light blue with long bell sleeves and bunched around the abdomen.

Alexis allowed the woman to lace the dress up and tie what was supposed to be tied and fluff what was supposed to be fluffed. The dress was very becoming and fit snugly, almost to small and fit rather tight across the bust. The woman tittered in a language that sounded alien to her as she fussed about with her tangled and nearly dried hair.

As soon as the woman left Alexis pulled the pins out and let her wavy, multi colored hair hang loose. Looking in the full length mirror she saw what she expected to see and didn't like it. She pulled out one of her knives and began cutting the dress off about five inches above her knees. She then pulled out a pair of black and silver leggings from her bag and pulled them on. Digging out the same black corset as earlier, she fit it over the dress, untying the bow on the front of the dress and letting some cleavage show.

Alexis then pulled her hair up into two buns on top of her head, letting two locks of purple and blue hang down to frame her face. There was a knock on the door and Renee walked in.

"What have you done to that dress?" Renee's familiar shriek set a defiant smirk on Alexis's face. "We have been waiting for you and this is what you have been doing this whole time. Alexis, I warn you I do not want a scene tonight. But seeing that this is how you are going to begin it I know that it is unavoidable. Do not embarrass us, these people have invited us into their home kindly and we have offered them our services. We are representing our home and I will not have any of your shenanigans. Am I understood?"

Alexis put on a sweet smile, "As long as they have alcohol I'm sure your night will be just fine mommy dearest." Renee glared at the daughter she had rarely seen and swiftly left the room.

The rest of them stood behind two large closed doors. Adam covered his face with both of his hands and let out an audible groan when he saw her. Charlie immediately noticed that she had a small set of headphones on and as she passed him was humming the theme to the original pokemon show.

"Hey mom, did you say you wanted me to put on a show," she put her hand on one of the door handles and began to pull it open when someone on the other side opened it. Alexis, slightly surprised, stared at a room with several long tables, one of which was on a dais. Elrond stood behind this table. His eyes widened when he saw the attire of Alexis, she gave him her famous smirk that usually got her free drinks.

Renee, on the arm of Robert waltzed past her. Charlie behind them, Adam reached over and pulled Alexis next to him as they followed Charlie and Meredith and Christopher behind them.

"What? The parents finally getting along?" Alexis whispered to Adam as they trailed toward the dais.

"I would like to give my thanks to the Mayfield-Gray family for their offer of assistance in these times." Elrond raised his goblet, as did everyone else.

Her father took the head of one of the tables, Charlie on his left followed by Adam and Christopher. Renee sat on his right, Alexis let Meredith sit between her and mom knowing that she didn't like sitting next to strangers. Before sitting Alexis winked at the blonde elf next to her. The man gave her a stoic look and took a sip from his drink.

After the meal was finished the seven of them stood and again in the same order, followed Elrond to the same pavilion as before.

Alexis stood behind Adam as he took a seat in one of the large brown chairs. Elrond offered them each a drink, Alexis was the only one who accepted.

Alexis looked Elrond in the eye, catching his attention. "When you say offered you our services what exactly does that mean?"

"I have been told that you are quite the fighter, several awards in different styles of fighting, the ability to use a bow and a weapon I do not know called a gun I believe. I also hear you have a skill with knives and what was the phrase, "getting under peoples skin" your mother informed me that was your expertise."

"She did, did she. Well I can assure you that she has exaggerated greatly and is an expert at blowing things out of proportion." Alexis smiled and cocked her head, glancing at her mother, who would not meet her eyes.

"In two days time, Alexis and Adam, the two of you will patrol the area around the shire, meeting once every ten days time in a small town called Bree. I will speak to you about the details later. Charlie, you are to travel to Gondor and deliver a message to the Steward. Meredith and Robert you are to travel to Mirkwood, Robert you will continue onto the Iron Hills. Christopher and Renee you are to travel to Lorien. Meredith and Robert, you will have the longest journey, seeing that you have similar forms you should travel at the same pace. Your journey will take the longest, you will leave tomorrow at noon. Renee and Christopher will leave in four days. Charlie, you will also leave two days from now. The next few days, or hours will be spent in preparation of the trips, I wish you all luck. If you'll excuse me I


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was busy; Alexis spent the morning with a tailor trying to convince him that she couldn't fight in a dress. She managed to convince him to make her a long, lace-up leather tunic that was sleeve-less with a pair of long leather chaps to be worn over jeans. While she did this, she had a matching outfit made for Adam, along with that they were made several shirts, gray, and two pairs of tough leather boots and two wool cloaks.

While Alexis was with the tailor, Adam was in the armory with the weapons smith picking out a sword he could learn to use and a bow for his sister. Three hours later the satisfied twins met up with Elrond for further instructions.

"I don't get why we have to do what this guy says, why can't he just send us home already." Alexis complained as she sat on a tree branch, hiding from one of the tailors who demanded she had a perfect figure and must clothe her.

Adam sat under the tree polishing his new sword, "We were pulled into this world by something so incredibly evil we cannot comprehend. In our world we have men and women just as evil but they lack the magic that exist in this world. We also have laws and technology that prevents us from living in the open, Lex, maybe there is some chance we don't have to go back there. Maybe by doing this we can start lives here, things are less complicated here. It's good versus evil, there's no gray area. If given the choice I would stay here, our family could live together again. Maybe we could all start a farm or something."

Alexis was curious, it was rare that her brother spoke so openly, "I know that you haven't been happy. I haven't seen you truly happy since we were really little. I never understood why though. I left home and made my own life, I have my own friends and my own career planned out, I don't want to help these weirdo's and I don't want to stay here."

Alexis leaned over and fell sideways off the branch, easily landing on her feet. She crouched down and looked at him.

"But if giving all that up means you can be happy here, I'm willing to try. Adam, you are my best friend, my twin, my brother and we are opposites in almost every way, we can't exist apart from each other without any contact. We both know that, when we are apart for to long with no contact we cant control our elements. Just please stop crying and I'll give this place a chance, you sentimental idiot, you always could manipulate me," she smiled affectionately and took his hand in hers and gave it a tight squeeze.

Adam laughed, "Elrond said he wanted us to leave as soon as it was dark tonight, we better go get changed."

After the evening meal the twins walked into Elronds office, Alexis multi colored hair was up in the same style as the night of the welcoming banquet, and it made her look defiant.

Both of them were dressed in their new armor/clothing that was made earlier that day.

"No one knows you will leave tonight, I ask this of you not order. If you change your mind at any time you are free to return. What I am asking is very dangerous, I need you to patrol the area around the Shire until you are sent for to return." His voice lowered to a whisper, "the one ring that the great evil searches for resides there, if you see anything suspicious in the area you are to send word to me as soon as you possibly can, that is why I'm sending the two of you. You are fire and water, you are each others strength and weakness. Once every ten days, you will travel to a town called Bree, you will meet with either a elf or a ranger." Elrond pulled out a flat wooden box and opened the lid. Inside the box sat two rings, one was silver with a small blue stone set in the band, the other was a burnished gold with a red, streaked with orange stone. Both stones held a small, barely visible star.

"Only when these rings touch will the star glow and only the other person will have a similar ring," he handed the silver one to Alexis and the gold to Adam. "Christopher, surprisingly, suggested this. Put the ring on your right ring finger and keep the note in your left. I will give you each a book of symbols, our code, if you are captured destroy it at all cost, there is not enough time for you to memorize it, and it is not the whole code. Inside of these two books is a limited code that should be sufficient. The hobbit that holds the ring is Bilbo Baggins, his nephew and heir is Frodo Baggins. After Bilbo's birthday celebration he will leave the Shire and all of his belongings will pass onto Frodo, including the ring. If Frodo leaves the Shire, for any reason, follow him but do not be seen. The dark lord, in the height of his powers could even use the trees to spy, do not discuss this mission." Alexis suppressed a gasp as the weight of his words pressed her chest as if in a physical form

"What kind of creatures are we talking about? I mean we don't know any of the shit that exist here. Are we looking for these goblin guys, or the orcs or some strange nymph?" Alexis crossed her arms watching as his severe expression never changed.

"Orcs and goblins are to noisy and untrustworthy for such a job, and it is to my understanding that outside of Mordor he has no control as of yet. But we are being cautious to make sure it stays that way. He, when or if he gets stronger will most likely send out the Nazgul. There are dark and vile creatures that are consumed with the need to find the ring; they are wraiths, dark figures in black. Do not engage them in physical combat, you do not possess the skill to do so and live." He looked pointedly at Alexis.

"Also an elderly man by the name of Gandalf the Gray should be passing through on the day before Bilbo's birthday party, don't worry you will know when it is. He will probably invite the whole shire, Gandalf is a very powerful wizard, do not let his appearance fool you. He will most likely know you are watching but won't pay any heed as long as you stay out of sight."

Alexis opened her mouth, but Adam beat her to it, "That means no contact, Lex, with the Hobbits in any way shape or form they cannot know we are there. Lord Elrond, we understand the severity of the situation, what should happen if we are discovered?"

Elrond smiled, "If you are discovered you are travelers, simple as that. Strange things have been happening lately, say you are traveling to the west with the elves. The two of you give of an aura of strength when together and you are physically easy to be mistaken as elves by those who have never truly met any. It is time, are you ready?"

Alexis and Adam shifted forms as Elrond watched, the packs, armor and weapon holders automatically adjusted to fit the animal forms. Panther and Lion stood side by side, Elrond nodded to them. "Don't do anything to jeopardize your lives, you are young, still children and yet you are not. I wish you luck and speed, you may return at any time."

The twin elves led the two large cats to the border of Rivendell and escorted them to the road that led towards the Shire.

Eladan and Elrohir stood on either side of the cats, "Just keep following the road and you should run into the Shire. Stay to the side of the road, the humans here might become frightened and try to kill you if you are seen." The cats nodded and took off.

The next three days they alternated between sleeping during the day and running until dawn. Alexis, while running, shifted into her human form and leapt out into the middle of the road. Adam, still in cat form growled at her from the ledge above the road.

"Oh come on putty-tat loosen up, lets take a break," Alexis pulled the small earphones out of the pocked on the inside of her dark brown, boiled leather tunic and put one in her right ear. "Now here go for the hundredth time, hand grenade pins in every line throw'em up and let something shine, goin out of my muffingminse," Adam leapt on top of her, covering her mouth and yanking her into a clump of trees.

Two hobbits were ridding on a cart drawn by a miniature pony, the back was full of wrapped bundles of what smelled like pipe tobacco.

"Lex, please stop, come on," Adam shifted and ran off leaving Alexis sitting there.

It took them a few days to figure out where Bilbo Baggins lived, but when the party decorations started being shipped into the town for a celebration that was to take place in a month or two, it became obvious whom Frodo was. Bilbo began locking himself inside of his house and sending Frodo out to collect the deliveries because every time Bilbo appeared outside of his house, this one female hobbit would show up and Bilbo would either run or hide.

Alexis enjoyed, she thought it was hilarious, she took to hiding in a tree and tossing pebbles at the woman making her jump and stare at the sky.

They made two trips to Bree, a week before they were to make the third trip was the night of the party. Adam had spotted the wizard, Gandalf the Gray on the road a few miles out and they had switched places, Adam to watch the party that night and Alexis would patrol the woods. A few hours after the 'dragon' dive-bombed the party Bilbo left town, as planned Adam followed him while Alexis stayed behind to watch.

She watched as Gandalf left in a hurry that night, curious as to the reason, but they couldn't wait. The next morning, before dawn, the two of them set off for the town of Bree. They could hear strange cries in the night, high pitched screeching on the wind blowing up from the south. The sounds sent a cold chill all the way to the bone.

Alexis and Adam changed shape and walked towards the locked gate, last time it had been open. Alexis's forehead wrinkled with worry as she approached the gate and knocked.

"Who is it? What do you want?" grouched an old man as he opened the flap.

"We are weary travelers old man, open the gate," Alexis said irritated, both of the gray hoods pulled up to shadow their faces.

The man glared at her, trying to see inside of the hood before opening the creaking gate. The two shadowed figures entered the gate swiftly; when the gatekeeper turned around they were gone.

They quickly jogged down the damp, misty alley to their meeting place, a man peeled out of the shadows ahead of them.

"Greetings travelers," he held his hand out, Adam shook it, and the star glowed briefly. "How are the roads, I heard that the rain was making the pour," the shadowed man slipped a piece of paper into Alexis's hand.

Adam did likewise, "The roads are not to bad, my friend and I are off to have a drink, care to join us?" as was what was directed if they should receive a message from the one they were supposed to meet.

The hooded man nodded, "I know a good inn with a decent ale," they followed him to the inn, not bothering to look up at the name.

They walked past several groups of dirty, drunks all teetering on bar stools. Alexis unrolled the paper as they walked and read it, _the nine have left and are approaching_, was written in the strange code. She tossed it into the fire as they passed it. The man lead them to a room off of the main dinning are and locked the door then placed a chair under the knob. Adam drew the curtains while Alexis walked around the room, dragging one hand on the wall listening for any faint echoes.

The man removed his hood first to reveal a strong face with damp dark hair and severe gray eyes. "I am a ranger known as Strider, I received word to take up post in Bree and receive you. Remove your hoods so we may speak in comfort," he sat in a chair near the fire, positioned so he could see the door.

The twins exchanged looks then took their hoods down, "I am Leo of the Fire and this is my sister Pan of the Water. Greetings ranger."

Strider stared at the woman called Pan, her light brown hair was streaked with blues and purples and put up into two buns on top of her head. There was an aura of mistrust and fierce loyalty about her, while her brother appeared to be relaxed with a light smile on his lips.

"Your message said the nine had left, are they coming here? If so we should leave as soon as we can to return to our post." Alexis sat down in a chair across from the fire.

"Aye, they are searching this area, they were seen heading north on the road two nights ago, they should reach the Shire four nights from now. Gandalf the Gray should be returning in a night or two to speak with the nephew. They will head in this direction, you are to follow them and make sure they are not captured; it will take about five days to a week for them to reach Bree. One of you must run to Rivendell as soon as the dark riders are seen in the Shire to warn Elrond."

Alexis nodded looking over at her brother, "We should return tonight if they are so close, the sun should be rising soon, the darkness is fading. If we travel through the day we can reach the Shire just after sunset. Thanks Strider, Leo." Alexis stood and headed towards the door.

Adam nodded at Strider and followed his twin out; Strider followed them as they left the city. The air hung heavy and damp, as they disappeared into the forest Strider thought he saw a flash of gold.


	6. Chapter 6

The forest seemed quieter than usual as they flew through it heading towards the heart of the Shire. Exhausted, Alexis let Adam sleep first, and at daybreak she took her rest. That night Alexis did her rounds, running through the outskirts of the forest when she heard the thunder of a single running horse.

She quickly turned around and made her way in the direction it was heading, the Hobbiton. As she grew parallel with the beast she caught a familiar scent of smoke and gun powder, it was Gandalf. Alexis slowed down but stayed behind the horse, Gandalf probably already knew she was there. He stopped at the edge of the town and turned.

"Young one, I know you watch and guard. The riders are coming, they are approaching fast be prepared to flee," a chill went through Alexis at his words.

She finished her round and turned to return, it was nearing dawn when she heard the scream. The scream was chilling and filled with desperation and evil intent. Alexis raced back to the road leading into Hobbiton, she could smell the creatures downwind.

She let out a cry as she grew closer to where Adam slept, shifting she stumbled and grabbed her pack out of the tree.

"Adam, the dark riders are here, run you are the faster of the two of us," Adam jumped up, still half asleep. Alexis began strapping the back across his chest, "Run to Rivendell, I'm going to follow the nephew," Adam nodded looking at Alexis. He pulled her into a tight hug and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before his golden form disappeared into the fog filled morning.

Alexis, still in human form jogged toward the direction of Bag-End. There were not any lights on, she skidded down the hill and ran flat out towards the house, hoping she wasn't to late. Alexis shoved the door open and ran into the house, it looked like someone left in a hurry.

She could hear the wraiths screams not to far off. Shifting, she began sniffling around the outside of the house. Breathing in the mixture of strange aromas until she tasted the powder that Gandalf always smelled of and followed it.

She approached the clearing just as Gandalf mounted the horse and rode off at break-neck speed. Frodo wasn't alone, a hobbit she knew as Samwise Gamge, son or grandson of a cranky old man called Gaffer that she always saw him with. He was the loyal and friendly gardener with a true green thumb and a crush on a barmaid.

As soon as the sun was in the middle of the sky she stopped and fell into a deep sleep, awaking four hours later before dusk. She ran in her panther form trying to catch up with the two hobbits and then discovered there were two more with them. As darkness settled the sense of uneasiness grew stronger in the pit of her stomach.

It was well after dark when the excitement began. It had been raining on and off for the last hour and Alexis was beginning to grow weary. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as a dark shadow approached, the creature raised its sword and gave a scream that set her teeth on edge.

She growled loudly and leapt in front of it as it approached the area the hobbits were hiding. She danced backwards as she swiped at it warningly. The creature paused as if measuring her up, the horse bellowed, reared up and then charged at her. Surprised, Alexis dodged sideways and slashed at the horse's legs.

There were two others she could pick out in the darkness; the hobbits were running through the forest towards the river. Alexis paused, sending her senses into the water; she felt a small dock and a flat raft. They were going to cross the river. She bolted in their direction, over taking two of the riders that were now on the road. One of the hobbits wasn't going to make it.

Three of the four were on the raft, pushing off and shouting in panic to hurry their companion. It was Frodo. Alexis cursed under her breath, she dogged past one of the riders and adjusted her speed, and she was right behind Frodo on the dock. She threw her head forward under him and tossed him up in the air. He landed with a heavy thump on the raft, but Alexis was unable to stop in time before plummeting into the water.

Waiting until her weight sunk her to the bottom, she then shifted into human form. Alexis pulled the current around her body and the pushed off the bottom using the current to propel her towards the raft. She shoved the current at the raft as she approached, nearly gagging on the water. The raft bumped against the shore, Alexis hurried to surface desperately needing oxygen. She managed to reach an area she could touch and immediately shoved her head above the surface.

Gasping loudly she stumbled then fell onto all fours panting from the exertion. She had trained many long and hard hours to be able to do what she had just done; it was the current limit to her abilities. Alexis spit water out of her mouth and stood, her body ached and burned. Her muscles felt like rubber, as she stepped out of the water she collapsed onto the ground, fighting consciousness.

The small face of a hobbit came into view; "was that you who made the ferry fly through the water, and who threw Frodo?" the curly haired boy grew fuzzy as she tried to nod.

She opened her mouth and tried to speak but was stopped by the urgent need to vomit. Alexis quickly crawled/walked to the nearest bush and heaved all the water she had inhaled leaving her chest and throat soar and her body cold and shaking.

Someone shoved a flask into her hand, she took a quick swirl then spat it out, "Thanks," she whispered. "And, yeah that was me. I'm an acquaintance of Gandalf's, I was asked to look after you. We must hurry to Bree before the night fall,"Alexis whispered standing up, she towered over the hobbits.

It began raining later that morning, Alexis was still soaked never having a chance to dry off. The rest of the day was dark and gloomy as she followed the four in a fog. When they stopped a few hours after midday she got a chance to catch a few winks.

Something cold was being pressed against her face, "Miss, I know you aren't feeling well but we need to continue if we are to make Bree by night." Alexis felt embarrassed for falling asleep. She pushed the damp rag off of her forehead and blinked a few times.

The world gave a little tilt and her stomach lurched when she stood, but she did her best to ignore it. She jogged ahead of them in the woods, listening carefully to the high-pitched cries some distance away. They became even more careful as they approached the road; they looked both ways before crossing.

Alexis pulled her still dripping wet hood up crossed behind them, never turning her back on the road. She heard Frodo's heated comments and then the creak as the old gatekeeper let them in. The old man glanced up into her hood and caught a glimpse of her face. Her golden blue eyes flashed in the semidarkness, making the man jump back.

She followed them to an inn called the prancing pony; the smells of sewage and muck nearly overpowered her senses as they walked towards the door of the inn. Alexis was soon forced to shift back to her normal human senses before entering the smoke filled in.

Frodo paid for a room and a meal, Alexis leaned towards him, "I'm heading up to the room, be careful. I mean very very careful, do not trust anyone here," she then took the key from his hand and headed towards the stairs in the back of the room.

Finding the door with the iron number five tacked to it, she fitted the key in and gave it a twist. The room held four small beds, a large fireplace and a tub full of water next to it.

Alexis locked the door and quickly stripped, ignoring the cold water she scrubbed away the dirt and grime from the last few days. By the time she was clean her clothes were mostly dried. She dressed in her now clean under garments and a clean white, long sleeved linen shirt.

She took the lightweight black corset and quickly laced it up; her jeans were warm but still damp. Someone shouting caught her attention, and then a lot of someone's shouting. Half dressed and in her bare feet, Alexis grabbed her knife belt and ran out of the room. She paused as her face began to change into a more cat like form. She heard a door bang shut loudly on the first floor. Shifting her face back, she skipped the last three steps and dogged two men as she turned down the hall just by the fireplace. She saw Sam and the hobbits Merry and Pippin just as they knocked the door open threatening who ever was inside.

Alexis drew her knife and leapt over them, landing in a crouch between Frodo and a man she recognized as the ranger called Strider. His eyes widened as her stared at her, it was the same young woman he had seen before. She was nothing but a girl, just a kid.

Alexis stood, sheathing the large knife she held bare, "It's alright guys, he's a friend." She turned and looked at the four hobbits and surprised to find them gawking. "What?" she asked confused. Their little faces turned red and they quickly averted their gazes. She looked down at her clothes, she was just wearing her low-rise pants, and there was a little gap between the top and the bottom of her shirt. And her shirt and corset were mostly laced up showing very little cleavage. She rolled her eyes.

Turning back to Strider with a smirk on her face, he raised an eyebrow, "Poor little guys getting all shy. Guess what, it's your turn to baby sit the midgets, I feel like shit, wake me up if I'm needed." The adrenaline rush was wearing off; she winked as she passed them feeling light headed. Alexis stumbled a bit, catching her balance then walking towards the stairs.

She ignored the shouts and cat calls and offers from the guys by the bar and just continued towards the stairs. She felt so tired and so warm, Alexis leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes, feeling the wood scrape against the shirt as she drifted off.

That was how Strider and the hobbits found her, unconscious on the floor in the dinning area a few minutes later. Strider sighed and lifted the child off of the floor and carried her back to his room.

Something warm was holding her arm as it slept, "Adam?" she muttered opening her eyes, turning her head to the side. Seeing curly red hair, fear welled up in her throat. Alexis screamed and rolled backwards off of the bed, landing on her back with her knife drawn. She slashed out as someone covered her mouth, the hand jerked back.

Alexis kicked back, flipping herself onto her feet. Finally recognizing where she was and who she was with she relaxed and put the knife away.

"Sorry," she murmured and walked over to the corner her leathers sat in and began to dress, "go back to sleep midgets."

Strider watched her knowingly, the resumed watching out the window.

Once fully dressed, she used a black ribbon to pull her hair up into a ponytail, and then wrapped a brown scarf around her hair. "I need a drink, I'll be back in a little while."

"The riders are growing closer, Pan, be careful," she nodded and closed the door behind her.

She sat on a bar stool at the far end of the bar, "Give me the strongest drink you have," she raised her hand at him. She remembered the last time she woke up in a bed with someone she didn't know and shuddered. The portly man thunked a tankard down in front of her. Alexis grabbed it and quickly began to down it, not bothering to take the time to taste it.

The liquid burned its way down to her stomach, she leaned back and took a deep breath, the bar man was staring at her.

"What, never seen a girl drink?" she glared at him, her blue eyes flashing gold for a second. The man jumped and began to hurry filling up other cups and putting them on a tray. About an hour later she stood and wobbled her way back to Striders room.

She knocked on the door, unable to see the doorknob and grasp it. "I found the cure to the common cold and it is whiskey, beautiful whiskey," she leaned against the door but there was no door to lean against. She hit the ground laughing; Striders amused and slightly irritated face floated into her vision.

She pointed up at him, "You have very bad hair I think you need a bath," she couldn't stop giggling. Strider hauled her up into his arms and began walking towards the fire, and dropped her into the tub of cold water next to it.

"What the FUCK!" she screamed floundering around half submerged.

He chuckled, leaning against the mantle, "I thought you were the one who needed the cold bath," she glowered up at him.

He laughed and walked out of the room, tossing a towel at her. "Get dried off and armed, we're leaving first thing in the morning and the riders are in Bree. I don't know how many but this is no time to be drunk, hurry up, you have ten minutes to change." Alexis struggled, soaking, cold and dripping out of the tub. She dragged her bag across the bed. Digging through the bag she managed to find her spare undergarments from home, so she wouldn't have to wear the stupid corset. Pulling on her second change of jeans she fell back on the bed, fighting a sneeze and eventually fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Someone shook her awake the next morning. "Pan, kid, time to get up. We need to get moving," she groaned unraveling herself from the blanket someone had thrown on her. "Oh, and for further notice, please sleep with a shirt on, poor Sam nearly fainted.

Alexis laughed and sat up, "Trust me, I'm not shy. Sorry Sam," she stood and stretched, the blanket dropping to the floor. Strider averted his gaze and handed Alexis her bag.

She shrugged on the now dry linen shirt and the leathers over it, then ran her brush quickly through her short hair before tying it up with the ribbon from the night before.

Strider watched at the girl from the corner of his eye, her multi colored hair baffled him. Alexis felt herself being watched and turned to look at him, "no the color does not wash out, Elrond already asked and apparently it is not growing out either so it's permanent. Morning Sammy," she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Frodo burst out laughing, as Sam turned beat red.

"Lets go," Strider called from the door, Merry and Pippin already finishing off the rest of the breakfast of bread, cheese and mutton.

Alexis skipped out the door fastening her huge warm wool cloak over her pack.

The next few days were cold, wet and tiring and Alexis's hangover the first day hit around noon did not help her mood. On the fourth night it became apparent that they dark creatures were catching up with where they were.

"Strider, do you mind if I do some patrolling, boss guy?" she asked chewing on a piece of dried meat across from the fire.

He looked at her, "I don't want you fighting kid. Just because your young and strong doesn't mean you are a match for them. You are to impulsive, no, I want you to stay here and guard the hobbits. Let them sleep for a few hours then get them up and keep moving to the east, I'll catch up." Alexis glared at him, trying to push the anger back and get control of her cat. This was why she never got along with adult, adults.

"I am not impulsive or rash, believe it or not. Your not my keeper, you can not order me about. I was just asking out of consideration," she stood up glaring down at him.

Strider stood up, "this isn't some child's hiding game, this is serious life and death, we make a mistake and we could all end up as puppets of Mordor. What I need from you is too listen and think before you act." His voice had lowered to a low hiss. The hobbits had noticed the whispered argument and had begun to watch.

Alexis stomped over to the nearest tree and leapt off of the ground, swinging her legs up and around the lowest branch, to speak to Strider for the next two days.

The walked through baren fields covered in toppled ruins, through sparse forest that were alive with birds and that night they reached a large structure, a ruin that Strider called Weathertop.

"Pan, I want you to position yourself on the top, keep a lookout." She nodded; the steps spiraled and came out on a roofless stone floor. She could see the surrounding area for a mile or two then it disappeared in fog. She stayed there, crouched on top of a toppled pillar in her cat form, listening, smelling and looking for any sign of a ring wraith, then she heard it. The unison of four or more wraiths screaming, they surrounded the structure.

Alexis shifted back, painfully quick, and nearly fell down the stairs trying to adjust to her human sight, "Guys, wake up they are coming, hand me a torch," Frodo had just leapt up and began screaming about the fire.

"Don't sweat it Frodo, they would have tracked us one way or the other," she shoved the torch into the still smoldering coals, "damn it, if Adam were here he could just throw fire at the damn wraiths," she muttered then followed them up the winding stairs.

Alexis sat the torch on a pillar stump and drew an arrow, pointing it at a shadow moving in the darkness. Taking a deep breath she pulled at the well of power tucked deep inside her mind. Using it she gathered the water around the arrow, and coated it in sheet upon sheet of ice, until she held an arrow made entirely of ice, the wooden one sitting on the ground at her feet.

The string whipped past her face as she let the arrow go, the creature screamed but not in pain. She backed up and made another arrow, faster this time and shot it at the same spot. The creature swung its sword and sliced the arrow in two.

She threw the bow aside and crouched down, letting her cat form flow over her. Merry and Pippin ran around her waiving their short swords, she shouted at them but it came out in a feral scream of anger. The one leading them threw them aside easily, then Sam shouted and ran at one of them, Alexis twirled leaping in front of Sam and shoving him towards Frodo. The creature grabbed her by the hair and threw her, Alexis hit a pillar sideways. The force spinning her around and causing her to roll off of the edge of the structure, her head cracking painfully on something sharp.

She laid in the damp darkness, her cat body heaving, paralyzed. She couldn't move. She coughed, trying to breath, trying to move but nothing would work. She could hear screams and shouts above her, Frodo screaming then a deeper voice.

She felt the change begin as the feeling returned to her body. She was lying on her side facing the side of the structure. She could hardly breathe; blood filled her mouth and trickled down the back of her head.

What was really seconds felt like minutes for her as she laid on the ground. Pain bit into her side as she rolled on to her back. She could hear shouting and yelling above her, Frodo was hurt, he was in pain. Alexis's head throbbed as she sat up sending all her senses into a mental cyclone. She struggled to stand, feeling her battered chest scream and shout telling her to lie back down.

Gasping and sweating with exertion, sweat dripped off the end of her nose as she struggled to take one step after the other towards the side they had been in. Her foot slipped and got caught in some animal made hole and she fell, nearly breaking her ankle.

She heard someone calling out for Pan, who was Pan? She struggled onto her hands and knees, pulling her leg out of the knee deep hole. She concentrated on trying to change, her bones cracked and grated and the usual uncomfortable pain became nearly unbearable. But she forced herself to change. Once in cat form her broken and crushed bones began to knit faster, making it easier to breathe. She could hear footstepts crunching on broken, rough stones as Strider and the hobbits descended.

Alexis began to turn back into her human form, her wounds still raw and weak. She stood and managed to struggle to the entrance. She stumbled a few times but always managed to catch her balance, she lifted her pack from the shadows by the ruined fire and walked over to tie it onto Bill when Strider and the others came down.

"Your alright?" Sam murmured confused. "How can that be? We saw the wraith throw you, its twenty feet to the bottom or more and your just standing there."

Alexis smile, "Well at least I know you care, I'm pretty resilient if I wasn't I probably wouldn't have lived this long." She smiled and took her bow and knife from Sam.

Strider tied Frodo onto Bill's back, "We must hurry, he is fading fast," he took off not waiting for the others.

Bow and arrow in hand Alexis followed them taking up the rear, the wraiths were still close, for two days they ran without stopping for more than an hour or two. Frodo was fading further and further every day. The wraiths had found them, Alexis stood on a tree branch watching the woods surrounding them with her cat eyes while Strider and Sam looked for an herb.

She could see a horse in the distant gloom with a pale figure on it. As it got closer she recognized the rider as the daughter of Elrond, Adam had made it safely. Alexis leapt off of the branch and dashed toward the rider.

When she approached she began recounting the last few days and Frodo needed to get to Rivendell as soon as they could get him there. Arwen nodded silently and leapt off of the horse, handing the reins to Alexis, giving her a smile, "Your brother is anxious for your return."

Alexis held the horse as Arwen came forward a few minutes later, having a heated conversation with Strider. Alexis watched as they argued in the silver language of the elves. Even from where she stood she recognized a deep bond between the two, maybe even love. Arwen climbed up behind Frodo on the horse, Alexis handed her the reins.

They lowered their voices when the wraiths began to scream, Arwen turned the horse around and kicked it into a gallop.

Alexis watched and made her decision, "I'm going with them, she'll need help fending off the wraiths. Good luck guys, I'll see you in Rivendell," she was about to take off when Strider grabbed her shoulder.

"That is a horse, young one, you may be fast but no human can match the speed of an elvin steed." Alexis looked over her shoulder at him, she loved dramatic exits.

His eyes widened, he wasn't looking at the face of a young girl anymore. The face grew larger and longer, the clothes melded with her skin and turned black with thick fur. He stared down at the large creature, never before had he seen an animal like this.

She flicked her tail a few times and gave him a cat grin then ran after the horse. She raced through the woods after Arwen and Frodo. She raced against time through the dark and into the morning when she finally caught sight of the white hindquarters of the horse. The wraiths were on both sides of Alexis and soon over took her as they chased Arwen.

Alexis let out a roar and sped up, running with the limits of her cat, her muscles bunched and burned as she pushed faster. Arwen turned sharply, catching Alexis and the wraiths unprepared, but it was to Alexis's advantage.

She could see a wraith reaching out for Arwens horse, Alexis took the opening and with a roar she leapt forward, digging her claws into the backside of the wraiths horse. A horse was a horse, she dug her razor teeth into its flesh, ripping and tearing, trying to do enough damage so the horse couldn't get back up. The horses leg collapsed, throwing Alexis and the wraith skidding across the ground.

She pushed herself up, somewhat dazed and tried to run after the other wriaths, but the one she had attacked grabbed her tail and threw the large cat backwards. Alexis screamed trying to turn around and slash at it, ignoring Elronds words that echoed in her head.

Her claws sank through the cloth and came in contact with the armor, the wraith gave another scream and slashed at her with its blade. The blade cut into her shoulder, cutting through the thick muscle and bitting the bone. It froze her, all feeling left her arm and neck leaving her lying on the ground unable to move. Alexis screamed in pain as icy venom corsed down her arm and through her chest.

The venom forced her powers away, forcibly making her human. The pain was agonizing and slow, through her teary eyes she could see the wraith getting closer, its sword raised to kill. She forced her arm to move up, her blade in hand as the creatures blade swung downwards. Immense power flowed through her mind and up her arm, blue light erupted around her, throwing the wraith backwards and creating a blue bubble around her. The wraith screamed as if in pain then disappeared into the trees.

The cold burned through her veins, she screamed until her voice was gone and cried until she could not see. The pain never weakened or waned, grasping her heart and squeezing until the agony was almost unbearable. Alexis was finding it harder and harder to stay awake, she only knew she was alive because the stars shined brightly ahead and the pain burned deeply inside.

The blue bubble that surrounded her, that hid her from the eyes of others began to fade as her strength dissipated. The power pulled inside of her and she screamed for help in her mind, searching for Adam's. Only once had this worked, only once had her heard and found her and that last she had been in a similar situation.

It was past midnight when Adam found her, his lion face hovered over her for a few moments before quickly changing into a human form, "I found her! Quick, over here help!" he screamed. Her shoulder was slashed open, the ground covered in cold, sticky blood. Four elves had been sent out with Adam to find her, Alexis opened her eyes and met Adams. She had succumbed to the pain, thinking she would die cold and alone out there.

Her cracked lips parted, "you came, thank you," she whispered before the pain took hold again. Her eyes rolled back and she passed out.


	8. Chapter 8

She awoke to silence, sun danced and played on the soft white bed sheet. Her left arm was bound tightly to her chest, keeping it immobile. As she sat up, what felt like stitches pulled tightly. Alexis looked around, recognizing the sense of serenity, she was alive and she was in Rivendell. Laughing she fell back against the pillow, lying there for a few moments, she need to let Adam she was alright. Her bag sat in a chair, in a corner on the other side of the table next to her bed. The table held a crystal bowl filled with pale green water and a white towel floated on the surface.

Alexis kicked the sheet off, she was wearing white linen pants that were drawn at the knees and a large white shirt. She stood up, feeling slightly light headed at first then scampered in her bare feet over to her bag.

Using one hand, she shimmied out of the pants and managed to get the sling off. The stitches pulled tightly as she got her jeans on and managed to shrug into a long blue sleeveless tunic and laced the brown corset on over it. Alexis pulled on the leather, fingerless archer gloves and after a few minutes and struggling managed to strap a knife onto her forearm. She felt naked without at least two knives. Tucking one of the knives into the back of her pants she, painfully shrugged the sling back on.

Alexis slid a pair of green slippers on, they were left under the chair, and scampered silently out of the room. Her multi colored hair, now reaching just below the shoulders, had already been pulled half way back, her bangs were now level with her nose hung annoyingly in her eyes. Irritated she brushed the hair out of her face as she walked out onto the stone porch of the healing hall. The yard below was alive and buzzing. Elves buzzed around as a party of men rode into the yard, Charlie was with them.

She watched as Adam appeared out of an arch way and ran flat out to Charlie, she saw concern and worry on their faces. Alexis quickly descended the stairs and began to jog towards him, her body was stiff and sore in so many places she didn't know even existed.

As she approached, making her way through the elves and humans, she could feel eyes staring at her, following her and whispers.

"No, she won't wake up. Lord Elrond has tried everything, he says she has to want to wake up. You didn't see her Charlie, she stopped breathing, her heart stopped beating miles before we got to Rivendell. She was dead, but I felt her in my mind, I knew she was alive."

"Please tell me you didn't think a stupid ring wraith could kill me, how weak do you think I am?" they both jumped and turned around. Alexis stood there, smirking as usual.

Adam stared at her, Charlie practically flew off of his horse and wrapped his arms around her. "You stupid, foolish rash sister of mine, your such an idiot," Charlie grasped her face between his hands. Alexis was shocked, Charlie was crying. She had always thought he hated her. Charlie kissed her on the cheek, then the forehead and then rocked her back and forth in a tight embrace that was soon joined by Adam as he awoke from his stupor.

Someone cleared their throat, a man who had ridden in with Charlie had been watching this reunion transfixed. The girls hair was purple and blue and brown, what was she. The man had sandy red-brown hair, with a thin bit of facial hair that set about his rough and yet delicate facial structure.

"Ah, right. My apologies. These are two of my younger siblings, my brother Adam and my sister, his twin, Alexis." The man gave a slight bow to Adam then took Alexis's hand delicately and whispered a kiss on her fingers.

"I am Boromir, son of the Steward of Gondor. It is a pleasure to finally meet the younger sister of Charlie, I have heard much about you and your adventures with Charlie when you were children." Alexis felt her cheeks grow warm, she was blushing. She didn't blush, ever.

At a loss for words, she stuttered slightly, "It's nice to meet you too, what kind of things has he mentioned?" She glanced suspiciously at Charlie.

Boromir smiled, he had a nice smile, why the hell was she thinking these things.

"Your oldest brother and I were merely debating mishaps concerning younger siblings, you won. After hearing that you tied him to a flag pole in your town square, with a sign that said brother for sale, when you were only seven. And on top of that he said you pasted the rope to his clothing and the flag pole." Alexis started laughing, remembereing that day vividly.

"I got mad at him because he tried to flush my ballet slippers, completely ruined them. So I painted him into his bed that night, then next day he had put a small jar of honey in my school bag, knowing that I liked to cut through the field on my way home. There was a small six foot wall that I liked to jump off of, I threw my bag down and never knew about the honey until I got home that night. My books were covered, so I retaliated that weekend when our mother took us shopping for shoes," the two of them laughed until they cried.

Charlie, his arm still around her shoulders, "See, I told you she'd like you," that caught her attention. She rolled her eyes, he didn't know where they were from and they obviously sounded like they came from a wealthy family and well connected. After all, Lord Elrond asked favors from them.

She knew what he was up to, "Oh yeah and you think that was good, wait till you hear what I did to him after he caught me on the couch after school one day with Nat-."

"I already know the details to that story, Lex and I do not wish to remember them, Nate was an old boyfriend of hers when she was fourteen." Charlie cut in.

"Oh its nothing, I'm sure Boromir would find the story very amusing, Chuck." A shout caught her off guard. She recognized that shout, it was the shout of a nurse after the child patient disappeared from the ward.

"Lady Alexis, you are too headstrong for your own good. You are not supposed to be out of bed," the woman's pale blonde hair was pulled back in an elaborate braid. "Lord Elrond specifically said you were to remain in bed for two weeks after you awoke. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to heal someone who is to stubborn to be healed, you had us at our wits end. Your lucky your brother was able to bring you back or you wouldn't be alive and walking right now," the woman reached out and grabbed Alexis's arm and began to pull her back to the healing ward. "Taking on a wraith alone, its unthinkable. Your lucky you didn't loose the arm, nothing short of a seasoned wizard would go up against the Nazgul. You foolish child, you scared the life out of us, now stop resisting," her mutters could be heard all the way back to the building.

Boromir's face grew pale, "A nazgul, I heard the rumors but I was not sure if they were true." Both he and Charlie looked at Adam for confirmation.

"Apperantley the nine have returned and Alexis got up close and personal with one of them. She was nearly dead when we finally managed to find her, the mount had bled to death and we couldn't find the rider." All joy had left their faces, Adam became solemn.

"The others have been returning gradually throughout the day. They had to force our parents to leave her room this morning so they could change the bandages."

Charlie chuckled lightly, "Lex is truly one of a kind, brave to the point of stupid. She would jump in front of a car, wagon, to save a dog."

"Your sister sounds like a very strong young woman, very interesting hair. Is that natural? I have heard of women dying their hair but have never before seen such bold and bright colors."

"I'm afraid it is," Adam answered, "Lord Elrond gave her many strong potions and they just made the colors more vivid and her natural hair lighter. Just like Lex, if you say don't she does and more, I'm hungry, I think the midday meal should be ready."

Lex sat in the same bed from before, waiting for Lord Elrond to check her out, only when he says its alright can she leave. Meredith knocked on the door, peeking around it.

"Whats up Mer, anyone say I can leave yet?"

"Nope, just though I should bring you some lunch. Mom and I have been viewing the elves, they are gorgeous.

A few hours later, Lex was back in the room she shared with Adam and fully updated on the top ten hottest elves. Everyone, elves, dwarves, humans kept praising her and wishing her well, she discovered where everyone had gone. They had been sent to guide and deliver a message for council representatives. All of them had arrived with an entourage, trying to impress the other. Word of her battle with a Nazgul had traveled, Frodo was awake and well and Strider, with the other hobbits had arrived early that morning.

She snuck out of the window, her wound nearly fully healed. Elrond had been shocked, then informed it was part of being who they were. They had a faster metabolism, heart rate and they healed faster even though they could die just as a human and could live no longer than an average human. The stitches had been removed, now all that remained was a puffy pink scar. She hit the ground in her bare feet, the cool dirt felt natural between her toes. She tiptoed, her bow and quiver in hand, past the party hall where almost everyone was.

She had snuck out early, not wanting to be surrounded by annoying praises and admirers, even some of the seasoned warriors thought what she did was admirable. But Elrond was right, it was foolish and stupid but she would have done it again, Frodo was safe and even if what she did helped him, no matter how little, she considered her job well done.

She checked behind her as she reached the archery field, it was empty.

"Do you not like parties? Your brothers said you would 'skip out early', they said you looked irritated." Alexis jumped, fumbling, trying to catch the arrows before the fell out of the quiver, but ended up dropping everying. Boromir chuckled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He crouched down and began to help her gather the arrows.

"Yes you did, or you wouldn't have stood in the shadows," she glared at him through her bangs. Shoving the last of the arrows into the quiver, she leaned back against the bench letting out an exasperated sigh. "Boromir," she didn't know how to begin. She had never really cared about letting guys off easily, but she felt different about him, he was a decent guy and she didn't want to hurt him. He leaned back, sitting next to her, "Boromir. I know my brother spun things to make me sound more appealing. We aren't a rich family, actually we are very average, we just have unique abilities. Elrond let us stay here, out of charity because we had no where else to go where we could be safe. And I think a little out of spite, I know somewhere in his abnormally large elven head he's shouting, 'eat that Sauron," she laughed at Boromirs confused expression. "I am no lady, far from it actually. In short I'm not interested, I figure things work here in a similar way they did in our home hundreds of years ago. I'm not interested in getting married, having kids." Boromir looked away, "besides, me wearing a gorgeous and very expensive dress at a state party, not going to work because I would definitely let out a huge belch, just to irritate you, to coarse for a wife of the Steward of Gondor," she laughed picturing it, craning her neck to peer at his face.

He was laughing, "Embarrassing that would be. Your brother painted a very vivid image of you, he told me many stories and details about you that I began to like you before I even laid eyes on you, Alexis. He did seem a bit pushy."

She smiled, meeting his eyes, "That's because he approves and even like you and if he likes you our parents will like you. I have a very, how should I put it? A very wild history when it comes to guys, partying, drinking but I never smoked or did drugs. Charlie occasionally met one of my boyfriends, but I was never serious about them plus I knew they were just out for a good time and I was just the means of getting there." Boromir was staring at her. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. Maybe it's because Charlie trusts you, but I'm not looking for anyone. I'm sorry, I don't want to upset you Boromir, you're a decent guy, besides you're the opposite of what I usually date."

He was smilling, good sign, "Then I guess we should just begin as friends, maybe if I'm lucky you'll eventually change your mind." He stood up, offering her his hand and completely ignoring the scowl. "Now come, as a friend I offer you the help as a sparring partner, can you use a sword?" she shook her head, "Then seeing as how you are the fool hearted kind you should learn, I taught my younger brother Faramir."


	9. Chapter 9

She felt happy and jittery the next day, and sore from the sparring practice with Boromir. He was waiting at the end of the hall for her, he offered her his arm, but she ignored it.

"Have you seen any of the hobbits? I only caught a glimpse of Frodo before the party last night. I've been worried about him," she heard a loud barking and Harley, rolly polly fat and happy Harley came bounding down the hall.

"Does that hairy beast belong to you?" Boromir asked, scratching the dog behind its ears.

"Yep, this is my boy Harley, I see you found a friend haven't you," she crouched down and kissed the dog on the nose.

"He's a find dog, I have never seen a dog like this, is he from this home of yours?"

"Yep, he was a present from my grandfather for my sixteenth birthday, one of his military buddies had puppies and I got one of them. A pure bred Doberman. I'm starving," she began walking again. As the rounded the corner to the dinning hall they ran into her parents, leaving.

"Ah Alexis, who is this friend of yours?" Her mother said, one of her arms wrapped around her fathers waist. She stared at them, they were being normal, they weren't yelling at each other, glaring, they were embracing.

"This is Boromir, he came with Charlie from Gondor," she gestured giving them an odd look.

Her father looked at Boromir then back at Alexis then back at Boromir, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you. After you finish eating, would you meet us in our room Alexis. Excuse us," they continued walking.

She stared after them, they were whispering to each other, "What the hell is going on, Charlie is nice, my parents are getting along and what the hell is going on?" confused and lost in her thoughts she continued walking into the hall, ignoring Boromir and Harley. The man and dog exchanged looks then continued after her.

After lunch Harley discovered the hobbits and Merry and Pippin discovered they were afraid of dogs.

Boromir and Alexis walked down to the training yards; apparently everyone was there killing time until the council after the midday meal. Alexis saw Strider, he had his back turned to her she hadn't spoken to him since that night.

"Hey, Boromir I'll be right back," she jogged over. She reached out and touched his shoulder, he glanced behind him and saw her.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asked giving him a sheepish smile, "I wanted to thank you for all the help you gave us. I'm sorry though of how it ended."

He turned around, sitting down on the bench, his blade on his lap, "I am glad to see you are as well as I heard. There is a lot of talk about you and your adventure," he smiled. This girl was wild and new to this world, she had a lot to learn about staying alive and was learning quick. "The hobbits were worried about you," he continued polishing the sword.

"I know, I saw them. Frodo is doing better but that thing is beginning to take its toll on him, he shouldn't have to carry it," she glared darkly at the ground. Strider watched her thoughtfully then noticed Boromir watching them.

"Your friend is waiting," he nodded towards him.

She looked over at him, "That's Boromir, he came with Charlie from Gondor for the council too. He's teaching me how to use a sword. Maybe next time I go up against a nazgul I'll be better prepared." She smiled imagining the black figure bursting into dust.

"Alexis, that is not funny. I don't know what kind of creature you are but what you did was not smart. You are to never confront another one of those creature alone, I forbid it." He had stopped polishing; there was no mirth in his eyes.

Boromir sensed the tension and came over, setting his hand on her shoulder and staring pointedly at Strider, "Everything alright over here?"

Alexis glared at him, he was challenging Strider, "Everything is fine, come on Boromir. I still have a lot to learn." She smiled at them and walked off, leaving the two men to brood at each other.

Nerves about the impending council plagued Alexis's mind for the rest of the day, Boromir went to dine with his companions while Alexis chose to remain on the archery field. It had turned out that sword play was a lot like dancing and she was rather good at it. She had been allowed to keep a blade of her choosing from the armory. She chose a rather heavy one-and-half-hand sword that fit her grip well.

An elf runner came down to the field; Alexis paused half way through drawing the arrow, "Yes?"

"I was sent to inform you that they are awaiting you, only you, your two older brothers and your parents are to attend the council, from Lord Elrond. You are to wear the attire they have made for you and are not to make any alterations."

Alexis nodded, removed the arrows from the outside of the target and ran back to her room. Across the bed was a tunic, edged in silver with a black corset, hard leather giving a feminine touch but acting as light armor. Next to it sat a comb made of silver, it was the most beautiful item she had ever seen. The edge of the comb was made up of flowers of greens and turquoise with small purple butterflies and one bee.

She pulled the tunic on over her black cami, the sleeves were tight about the elbow and then flowed down like a cascade of water, the silver and blue moved with each step like rain on a full moon night. The breeches were dark and long, lacing loosely up the sides over blue fabric that matched the tunic. An elf, the same from before, came in to help her dress, lacing up the tunic and putting her hair up with the decorative comb. Alexis was curious as the woman took a decorative dagger and tucked it into the front of her corset, it was obviously a dagger and gave her appearance a look of danger.

"Lord Elrond suggested that you and your family stand out," she answered the quizzical look on Alexis's face, "he wants you to give off a sense of power and strength, though I don't believe anyone could think you weak after all of the rumors floating around about your family." She smiled and took a step back.

"Perfect, you look beautiful and deadly, lady Alexis. It is time," Alexis left her room to join her family in Elronds office. Adam was dressed in red and gold, her mother wore an identical outfit to hers but it was pearls and whites, her father wore greens and browns. They were dressed to represent their elements. Alexis was water, Adam fire, their mother was air and father was earth, same as Charlie who came in later dressed the same as Robert.

"The five of you are to enter first and to stand as guards of formality, you just need to look united." He glared at Alexis as she picked at her sleeve, she stopped and leaned against the wall, "Alexis is to stand with the hobbits, Adam with the elves of Mirkwood, Robert with the dwarves, Charlie with the men of Gondor and you are to be with my household," Elrond nodded at their mother.

They did as they were bid, entering first they took there positions standing behind. The council was long and mostly boring. The politics became violent and everyone became a little over passionate. Until Frodo made the decision that hurt him more than anyone could imagine.

He volunteered to take the ring and with him would go Aragorn formerly known as Strider, Gimli, a dwarf, Legolas, a elf, Gandalf and Boromir. When Boromir volunteered Alexis felt the knot in her chest grow tighter, she didn't want him to go.

Elrond stood up and was about to speak when the bushes behind Alexis shook and out popped Sam, she knew he was there but didn't see any harm in it. Two seconds after he proclaimed his never-ending loyalty to Frodo Merry and Pippin popped out of nowhere and joined. Alexis zoned out, angry that Boromir was leaving and angry because she didn't know why she was angry about it. When Elrond said her name she came back to reality.

"What? Sorry I wasn't listening," she looked around in confusion.

"As Gandalf recommended I asked that Adam of the fire, the sun and the lion and his sister Alexis of the water, the moon and the panther join this fellowship; for they posses abilities that have not been seen in Middle Earth since before the dark days. They are from a family descended the elves that lived on a island in the far north that has long since died out when Sauron began his battle for Middle Earth. Most fled these shores and some this world and here before us stand the descendents of these creatures, powerful and rare. One has already proven resistance against this great evil." Alexis rolled her eyes. Adam stepped forward and kneeled in front of Frodo, "Will you accept our services?" she knew that if he said yes they would be bound to go.

That was part of the magic of being an Elemental, if your name was mentioned in the binding of a contract then those who were named would be compelled to fulfill the contract even if it meant their death. They would protect and guard Frodo until they were released.

Alexis stood behind Adam and watched as Frodo nodded, closing her eyes in exasperation. She knew now that no one could protest their involvement now, they were magically bound to the fellowship.

The fellowship departed, they were to leave in a week, and were left in a sitting room to get to know each other.

Alexis walked over to a chair and threw her legs over one of the arms and reclined.

"Well am I the only one who thinks this is a strange fucking day, jeezus, Adam what the hell?" Alexis put her hands over her face and sat up. "We already blundered, I nearly got Frodo killed just trying to get here then nearly got myself killed because of some stupid feeling of duty to make sure Frodo would reach Rivendell even though I knew he was in the more than capable hands of Arwen. Now, we're tied up in this fucked up world in this fucked up mess trying to destroy a piece of fucking tin. Why the hell did your pansy-lily faced ass wipe of a bullshitting son of a bitch self agree to join this quest." She was now standing and shouting at her brother, "We aren't even from middle earth, we don't know how long we are going to be here for all we know this fucktard from hell planned this whole thing."

Adam stood and began shouting back, "We didn't mess up, we did what we were told. You are the one, as usual, disobeyed and did the first thing that came into your mind. I agreed because it was what was meant to be. We are supposed to go with them, Chris had a dream and he told Elrond. Lex get your head out of your ass, we aren't' going back. If you haven't been listening," he shouted wildly gesturing at the door behind them, "our family, our grandmother Mayfields mother is from this place. Remember all the old stories of how she never aged and then just up and disappeared after her husband died. We came from here and we returned. This is our home now Lex."

"I don't fucking care if this is your home, this is not my home. I had a job, I had school, I worked my ass off for that scholarship and thousands of dollars on dance lessons. I was a good dancer, a really good dancer. I taught three times a week at the Y and do you even have any ideas how many other job offers I got for dance companies. I turned them all down for school and now that is all gone. Everything I have worked for is gone; everything I was good at is useless here."

Adam stared at her, "Is this where this is all coming from. Your angry because you feel useless here. Guess what Lex, open your pretty blue eyes and look around. Everyone here is trying to make a difference in this world, this is history come alive. We are lucky to be part of this, they volunteered because they are willing to risk their lives for something other than money. Lex, we are new to this place. This world is strange and dangerous and different in every way. From just ordinary morals and manners all the way to lives and structures. But we are Elementals, our ancestors fled this world and this threat for a life they wouldn't have to be afraid to live in. In our old home we couldn't act out in public, we couldn't be ourselves anymore because of the restraining governments and the stupid churches of every religion called us evil. Here we have a chance to use what is natural to us to save lives and help protect and fight against the same threat that chase us out in the first place. So for once stop thinking of yourself and think about what is right," Adam stared into her eyes, they were inches apart.

"Fuck you Adam," her voice low and deadly, she shoved past the other fellowship members and left the room.

She tore through the halls back to her room, grabbing her bow and sword she armed herself and ran. She ran as fast as she could, not caring where she was or where she was going she just needed to run. She ran until her chest burned and the moon was high in the sky. The cold air burned her lungs and her skin as she fell onto her hands and knees, her legs wet from the river she was standing in. She looked up and realized she was at the border of Rivendell, if she wanted to she could risk refusing the contract and leave this all behind. If she wanted to she could find this Saruman and force him to return her to Oklahoma. She still had the knife that had brought them to Middle Earth. But she couldn't do it, she stared off into the woods beyond the border.

Adam was right, he was always right. On her way back, wet and cold and just past dawn she heard a horse galloping up the road toward where she was walking. The horse rounded a thicket and came up the hill, it was Boromir, he stopped and dismounted.

"Elrond said he felt you pass the border, he wasn't sure if you were going to come back," he looked sheepishly at his feet.

"Why did you come after me?" she stared at him, she had expected Charlie to follow her and chew her out.

He smiled and began walking next to her, "Because you're hurt and angry and feel betrayed because no one told you about this idea before the council. Your family does not appear to be very close, besides you and your brother. I thought you might want someone who you wouldn't try to shoot you on sight to talk too." Alexis smiled, laughing lightly.

"Thank you, Boromir, for coming after me," not knowing why but she reached out and took his hand, they both knew he cared about her and she did not return the feelings. The next couple weeks flew by quickly. Alexis and Adam managed to resolve the problem, but were still angry at each other. Alexis said goodbye to her parents, they told them they were going to get remarried. Meredith was practically living in the house of healing, learning a new skill and Chris spent much of his time with Elrond, discussing who knows what an old elf and a sixteen year old boy who could see the future would discuss.

Boromir greeted her that morning they were to set out. Meeting her at the end of the hall as was usual.

"Everyone is eating, storing up for the journey. Alexis," Boromir stopped, his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him, "Is there any way, anything to convince you to stay here."

"I know you don't want me to go and we already had this argument. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean my chances are survival are any less, you yourself said I was adequate with a blade. Plus, whether I want to go or don't I have to because Adam made the contract and Frodo accepted it. I am bound by more than my brothers word, I must go," she refused to meet his eyes and instead stared at the spot on the wall behind his head.

He nodded, "Very well. Hopefully we will take the road to Gondor and then you will be able so see my great city of men. My father rules it but his rule is weakening with this evil, the great white city of Gondor can be seen for miles. It is a beautiful sight, when we get there I will introduce you to my brother, Faramir, the two of you will get along splendidly." He laughed and continued to recount stories of Gondor all the way to the dinning hall.

It was maybe two hours after dawn when the fellowship was summoned to the gate. Alexis and Boromir walked side by side, she parted from him to say goodbye to her family. Chris stood several inches taller than her, she tried to push the tears back as she kissed him on the cheek and gasped as he lifted her up in a bear hug.

"Lex," he stared into her eyes, his baby blue ones swirled with light hints of purple for a moment, "I want you to promise me that you will never fall into despair. Things will happen, worse than ever before. This will be the greatest trial of your lifetime but you will find happiness, I promise, when this is all over you will find the peace and happiness you desire. Both internal and external, hang strong," she smiled and moved on to Meredith as Adam said his goodbyes to Chris.

Meredith handed her a package, "You will know when to use this, don't loose it. We all know how good you are at misplacing things, I'm proud to be your sister. I know we never get along and I know we are always fighting with each other, but I wanted you to know that don't do anything stupid, I love you." Lex started crying, this was the first time she had ever told her that she loved her to her face.

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Mer," she smiled and pinched her hard on the arm. Meredith shouted and jumped back, "Why did you do that?"

"Cause when I'm gone who else is going to?" Alexis smirked as Chris reached over and poked Meredith in her ticklish spot. She yelped and jumped sideways.

Alexis turned around as their parents came over, "Adam, Alexis we're not going back to the U.S. We're staying here, your father and I have decided to get remarried, Elrond was kind enough to grant us a wedding present. After the war is over, our family will leave Rivendell and move to Gondor," her mom leaned forward and kissed Alexis in the forehead.

"Lex I know we have made many mistakes, ones that have scared and hurt you. I hope that we may fix things here, later. I want you to come live with us," Alexis nodded and left them to join the fellowship next to Boromir.

Boromir reached over and took her hand, a light tingle settled in her chest; Chris said everything would be all right.


	10. Chapter 10

Alexis glared at the tree and swore it was glaring back, for the last two weeks it had been hill, tree, tree, rock, tree. It was nearly dark and Aragorn was still pushing them, she was tired and sore and irritated, even Boromir couldn't put a smile on her face. Every other day she and Adam shifted forms to carry the hobbits. She was beginning to miss her car, desperately. Today was Adams turn. She looked over at Boromir out of the corner of her eye, worried.

"Why are we still going? It's getting too late, we should have stopped an hour or so ago," she whispered leaning towards him.

"Legolas found goblin tracks three miles north east two days ago, he wants us to get out of the territory before we set camp, we won't have a fire tonight." She smirked at him, that meant that Adam wouldn't notice her sleeping next to Boromir.

She had been surprised how close they had grown the last couple of weeks and how far she had grown from Adam the last few years. They could hardly hold up a conversation anymore, instead he spent most of his time talking to Gandalf and learning about his element. Alexis often saw him off with him, practicing, extending and learning to use it.

She sat staring into the fire one night, reflecting on her own gift after one of their sessions. They had never understood why they were so different, opposites. Adam would always dream of adventure and places in his books while Alexis just wanted to get away from their family and be someone. And now here they were, he was on his amazing adventure and she was someone, she knew who she was and who she could be but she was afraid to be that someone.

It had been nearly two months since they had left Rivendell now. She could feel something in the air, moving fast. She quickened her pace and moved up next to Aragorn.

"I feel something," she muttered under her breath, afraid to speak to loudly. Aragorn nodded. She jogged off of the path and quickly shifted, heading in the direction of the disturbance.

The vibrations and currents of air thrummed in her veins, as she got closer to them, she quickened her pace, breathing, feeling for where it was coming from. It grew faster and harder she stopped, feeling it all around her, she was about two hours now from the group. She stopped and looked up, the sky was growing darker as a huge mass of birds flocked over her. Cursing herself, they were heading in the direction of the fellowship. She knew what she was about to do would be something she would regret.

Alexis felt the sift begin as she turned human, she pulled the bow that was strapped to her pack out and strung it, taking aim she pushed as much energy into it as she possibly could and let loose.

The arrow glowed blue and then shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces of sharp ice. The shards zipped through the group, killing several and injuring a small number. She managed to get off two more shots. They turned and began to head in her direction, Alexis quickly changed and tore off through the trees away from the group, she shot a look back. Half of the group was following and the other half was still flying in the sam direction. Alexis cursed and changed her direction heading for the cover of a thick clump of trees. She scrambled and managed to hide herself as the birds flew over, she waited and watched as they doubled back unable to see her.

As soon as she thought it was safe she crawled out of the bushes, untangling the twigs and brush from her hair and clothes. Alexis paused, listening and scanning the sky then started off slowly jogging in the direction of the group. It was going to take her several hours. It was long dark before she managed to find the scent. She turned human before walking out of the forest and into the ring of light.

She had passes Legolas in the dark, he had seen her but kept circling the camp. When she appeared Adam looked up, he had known she was fine and had told the others but they were still worried.

"Sorry I'm late, I found the birds and tried to lead them away, didn't work so well." She smiled and hopped down off of a rock. Boromir was on top of her in moments, shaking her and hugging her. "I'm fine, I'm fine just had to do a lot of back tracking," she smiled and hugged him back.

"You gave us a bit of a scare when you didn't come back,"Aragorn smiled from his perch on a rocky outcropping. "She's fine Boromir, see, Adam was right." That night Alexis and Boromir wandered off, Aragorn let them knowing that Boromir wanted to speak with her. He had been extremely moody the last couple of days.

They all slept late and spent the next day resting. Gandalf had mentioned that they were heading into the mountains the next day. Aragorn and Boromir spent most of the day showing the hobbits how to wrap themselves to conserve heat.

"Gandalf, if my element is water and ice can I still freeze to death?" Gandalf was watching her out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at her, contemplating his answer.

"Your brothers power is very straight forward, no hiding, no secrets everything is obvious, veiled in light. But you are his opposite, your power is more complex and difficult to discern. I believe, in time, that if you learned not to fear what you truly are then you would be able to control your gifts. All of our powers, magic or elemental, are parts of our beings and affected by our emotions. Your fear is the reason your powers haven't fully come into themselves." He took a bite out of a roll and chewed it slowly. "You and your family have always been in the belief that you have the weakest of all of your gifts, I think it is the contrary. It is to my belief that you have the most appitude, yes, even more than Adam. Adam is ambitious and hungry to be different, he worries me sometimes, you, however have a different ideal of how you want to be. He sees himself as powerful and aggressive, you are the protector."

"Fire, water, sun, moon, light, dark, sword and shield. So what I did, when I was attacked by the wraith was like a dormant power?"

"Yes, have you tired to recreate it?" Gandalf regarded her, he knew that like her brother she was curious about her powers but unlike him she was afraid of what she was.

She held her hands out in front of her, two small blue bubbles formed and began to grow, merging together and expanding until it expanded around the two of them. Then she slammed her hands together in a harsh clap, a light formed between them as she pulled them apart. The light grew larger until it filled the inside of the bubble.

Legolas shot an arrow at the bubble; it shattered on contact, and clattered to the ground in frozen shards.

"Amazing," Legolas murmured approaching the shield, he held his hand out and poked the bubble, it jiggled slightly, Alexis giggled then touched her hand to it and the bubble dissolved.

Alexis concentrated, a cold sweat breaking out on her brow as she cracked open the well of power inside of her. It streamed out, she bit the inside of her cheek as she struggled to hold it back. The bubble had grown much larger and the tree of them stood inside of it. Her eyes closed as she shut the doors and the bubble popped in a shower of water.

Her legs shaking, she fell the ground gasping, "I am never doing that again."

But contrary to what she said the next couple nights while she sat second watch she practiced. Each time it began to get easier and easier, she stared into the frozen bubble in her hand, concentrating as she changed its shape to encase her hand. Curious she tapped it, then she smacked it of a rock a couple times, it didn't crack.

The further into the mountains they got, the more watches she volunteered for. It was frozen and cold, she could feel her body pulling the energy from the air around her and storing it away. She paused, half of her body was encased in ice, something was moving on the wind. It was dark and had an evil feeling. Alexis jumped up out of the snow bank and tiptoed over to where Aragorn was wrapped up.

He jumped when she tapped on his shoulder. "There's something moving in the wind, I can feel something moving, I don't' know what it is but I don't think its good," Aragorn nodded.

"It's nearly time to rise anyways, get everyone up and fed. We should crest this mountain today.

Adam huddeled in his cloak, practically glowing as he lead the way up the mountain melting the snow as they went. Alexis was in panther form carry Frodo and Sam, their feet were wrapped up tightly in bits of cloth and leather.

There was a blizzard at their heels, she could feel it, Alexis stopped and let out a small growl, signaling that she was going to change back. She crouched down and Frodo got off.

"We need to take shelter quickly, there is a blizzard coming down the mountains quickly, it will be on top of us in an hour." She shouted up to Aragorn and Gandlalf.

"Legolas, Alexis, scout ahead, quickly now. This is not natural storm, it is the work of Sauroman." Alexis quickly changed and ran along with Legolas ontop of the snow crust. She bounded past Legolas, towards what looked like a dark patch under the snow banks. When she reached it, she looked back and could see the dark figures moving swiftly up the side she had just rounded.

Alexis immediately began to dig, shoving large lumps of snow aside. Legolas came up next to her and began thwoing the clumps into a pile, creating a wall. Within twenty minutes the wind had doubled and the temperature had dropped dramatically. The shelter was nearly finished when the group approached.

Adam came up and pressed his heated hands to the snow, melting it away as Alexis froze it on the sides.

The sky drew dark as the squeezed in together, "Alexis can I have a quick word with you?" Gandalf stood just out of the shelter, she nodded and crawled out.

They walked a few paces away, the howling wind buffering their words.

"We had a small incident, the rings hold on Boromir is growing ever stronger, I want you to stay by Frodo's side as much as you can, I trust that if Boromir tries to take the ring by force you could stop him without killing him. I also want you to keep an eye on your brother, I don't know what's going to happen but I also fear the rings influence on him." Alexis nodded, she was afraid of what he was saying. Either way if one of them tried to take the ring she might be forced to harm them.

"I understand," she looked up at the sky, "Gandalf go back inside, we will be safe tonight. I want some time to think," Gandalf nodded. He placed his hand heavily on her shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze.

She walked back towards the shelter, wrapping her armor of ice around her body, insulating it. She sat on top of the shelter, letting her shield of ice expand and cover the mound of snow, sheltering it from the wind and cold.

Come morning she had fallen asleep, her body frozen with crystals of ice. Her shield around the mound had fallen at daybreak. Someone shouted her name loudly, they sounded panicked. She cracked her lids groaning sleepily.

"Watchau want," she murmured leaning backwards, her eyes flew open and she let out a small squeak as she fell backwards off of the mound and into the snow. She floundered around for a few moments then finally managed to stand.

"I'm awake, I'm alright, I meant to do that," she dusted the snow off of her frozen cloak and attempted to straighten her hood.

Legolas let out a laugh of relief and wrapped her in a tight embrace, "for the life of me I swore there was no heart beat coming from your frozen statue, Alexis," he laughed releasing her.

"How did you guys sleep, I was actually rather comfortable," she smiled and squeezed Boromirs hand, he was glaring at her.

"Now that we have established that Alexis is alive, we must continue, this storm is not over."

By midday the storm had returned, but they didn't stop. They struggled forward, Boromir carried Merry and Pippin, Aragorn carried Sam and on Alexis rode Frodo huddled in her cloak.

They crested the slope, a steep drop to their right and a rocky face to their left. The winds buffeted them, howling and screaming. Alexis could hear some of the others trying to have a conversation above the wind, their shouts dying before they reached her ears. They had stopped moving forward, Alexis letting Frodo down shifted.

"What's wrong?" she shouted above the wind, blocking her face from the blowing ice.

Adam trooped over to her, "The hobbits are freezing, we won't make it over the mountains, we need to turn back," Adam shouted to her. Confuse Alexis turned her face to Gandalf trying to hear as Gimli shouted. Alexis leaned over and wrapped the cloak tighter around Frodo.

A bright flash of light followed by a loud crack of thunder startled them. Someone shouted as a shower of snow and rocks buried them. Alexis threw herself on top of Frodo, a rock cracking painfully against her shield.

She waited until it grew quiet before she shoved herself up out of the snow, dragging a gasping Frodo with her.

"Are you alrightt," she murmured in his ear, her breathe leaving clouds of warm steam around it.

Frodo nodded but didn't get a chance to answer, Gandalf was asking him a questing.

"We will go through the mines," she heard him say. Alexis didn't know what was wrong with the mines but the look on Gandalf's face made her wary

.

By the time the back tracked and reached the walls of Moria they had lost three weeks. The odd group of travelers had spent the last few days at a light jog, the twins carrying the hobbits to make the journey faster. The two of them collapsed on the ground, heaving and exhausted.

"The next time I see a hobbit sneaking second helpings I will eat his hands," Adam growled as he shifted back into human form.


	11. Chapter 11

Alexis dozed in Boromir's arms; the fellowship had learned to accept the growing relationship of the two. Every member of the group had already interrogated Boromir and the two of them had both received scalding lectures on 'innocent' diversions. Gandalf even tried to give Alexis the "birds and bees" lecture, both Adam and Alexis had found that hilarious and Boromir had turned ten shades of red. Gimli roared with laughter and Adam and Aragorn nearly came to blows after a discussion of how to speak properly of your sister, despite her activities. Boromir was already telling stories of Minas Tirith and how he would introduce her to his people, and his brother and father.

Alexis jerked awake as a loud crack snapped her out of her precious sleep, Boromir chuckled as she glowered over at the stone walls opening into Moria. That wasn't the only thing that caught her attention. As the fellowship gathered their things and poor Bill was finally set loose she could feel ripples in the water, something stirred the desolate, cold and serene black surface of the water. She watched as Adam and Gandalf lit up the entrance of the cave and she slid off down to the water.

"Legolas, something is coming out of the water," Alexis whispered as the surface was broken, the elf quickly turned around with his bow drawn. It happened so fast Alexis didn't have time to even draw her sword half way. A slippery and dark black tentacle shot out of the water, Alexis shrieked as Frodo, who had been standing behind Alexis, was jerked forward. Knocking Alexis down in the process.

Frodo shrieked for Aragorn in pure panic and terror as he was dragged into the murky water. Alexis let out a shot just before she drew her sword and leapt into the freezing water.

"Frodo!" she swung out at the nearest tentacle. Something smacked into her back shoving her under water. She struggeled as the thing pushed her further and further down until a sharp rock cut into her cheek and silt and rocks froze under her touch. She screamed silently as her armor of ice enveloped her and attempted to freeze the creature. The limb became hard and unmoving.

Alexis cursed herself, she had frozen the limb and the limb was on top of her at the bottom of the lake. She felt around the bottom near her for the sword she had dropped. The water was dark and cold, she could scarcely see the stones in front of her face. Her wandering hand found the pommel and she pulled it towards her, reversing her hold she drove it sideways.

The limb jerked as the blade bit through it, releasing her. The lump of frozen tentacle was jerked upwards for only a few seconds, giving her enough time to scramble out from under it. She cursed as she began kicking upwards, her lungs were beginning to protest. She was no fish, that was for sure and this mystery had been solved, she could drown.

Alexis floundered around in the water, she was in the middle of the lake behind the creature. She kicked towards it, watching as Frodo was flung through the air and finally released

She dogged flailing tentacles as she dove under the surface. What felt like forever had only been a few moments. Adam plunged into the water and grabbed the hood of her cloak. Gasping he heaved Alexis out of the lake, dragging her towards the retreating group.

"Move it!" Adam screamed in Alexis's ear as they struggled towards the entrance, the creature following them out of the lake. A tentacle shot out and wrapped around Adam's ankle, he shouted as it dragged him backwards. Alexis screamed as rubble poured down on her, she managed to find her knife and hacked at the tentacle, it released Adam but not before the doors began to collapse. The rumble of stone drowned out the shouting, Alexis was flung to the ground as Adam threw himself over her.

"Shield," his voice echoed in her mind, it took her a second to realize what he meant, but that second almost cost them their lives. She threw it up as a chunk of the door landed on them and all went dark.

She was on the edge of unconsciousness when she could see light through her eyelids. She could feel her body being pulled, something being pushed off of her and she could suddenly breathe. She ached and hurt all over ,she tried to move her arm but it sent excruciating pain up her arm. She cried out as someone one lifted her and was hastily set back down on a smoother surface.

She struggled and forced her eyes to open.

"Lexy, Lexy please can you hear me. Dearest one please," Alexis blinked twice, she could see faces, several faces.

"Adam, he pushed me, covered me is he ok," she struggled to gasp out.

"Alexis, I need you to stay conscious, look at this light, follow it," the light wavered back and forth a few times but she couldn't tell which light he wanted her to follow so she tried all three..

"This is going to hurt, your arm is broke I need to set it, the bone went through the skin. Lexy, close your eyes and sleep," Legolas's voice floated through her mind lulling her into darkness.

When she woke her arm was stiff and sore, the throbbing in her head had been dulled to a light ache. She felt instantly nauseous as she sat up. An arm was immediately behind her back

"There there lass, don't hurry yourself." Gimli pressed a water skin into her hands and helped her drink.

She murmured a thanks as Aragorn walked over and crouched down in front of her, he leaned forward and pushed back her right eyelid.

"Your concussions gone, I was getting worried you were out for most of six hours and Legolas couldn't even get you to stir. Your brother is fine, a little bruised but now we know you shielding has limits." He smiled and pulled her into a light hug, " I'm glad you're alright, next time don't dive through as crumbling door, go around the mine, if you will." He chuckled leaving her in the hands of Gimli.

When she was able to walk in a straight line they moved on and so they went silently and cautiously until the third day. She never forgot that day, it haunted her for the rest of her life.

Boromir kept one arm either around her waist or held her hand, when she had sat down next to him after she woke up he didn't say anything. He just sat there polishing his sword.

"Boromir," she reached out and touched his hand.

"The though of loosing you is unbearable, when I saw those doors crumble and realized you were under them I thought I had lost you. I can't even conceive the though of you being gone, you have been in my life for such a short time and I cannot imagine going on living without you." He was crying, Alexis was speechless, "I know so little about your past and I don't care about it, I know you. I know that you can always find something to smile about, no matter how bad the situation is. I know that when your sad the colors in your hair darken and when you smile at me you glow with a light only I can feel. When I first heard of you I though you were, I don't know what I thought you are. But now, here, your uniqueness is what I love most about you, you know more curses in more languages than I have ever heard. And yet you always know when someone needs a friend to comfort them, not talk to just comfort them. When we get out of here I want to take you to Minas Tiras, I want you to meet my family and my city and I want them all to love you as much as I do. I intend to marry you, when this is all over," he reached into a pocket inside of his leather jerkin.

"I've been meaning to give this to you for some time, but I wanted to wait for the right moment. I can't wait anymore." He pulled out a well-worn black velvet pouch. "My father, when he became betrothed to my mother, Finduilias of Dol Amroth, gave this to her as a bride present. She then gave it to me not long before she died, she told me that when I found a woman I loved more than the white city I should give this to her, and I give it to you," inside the pouch he pulled out a ring. The band was made up of a tree dotted with many tiny flowers. Where the top of the tree ended was the silver branches decorate with tiny twinkling stars made up of small blue gems of different shades.

Tears pricked her eyes as he took her left hand and slid the ring onto the ring finger. Alexis let out a small sobbing laugh as she stared at it, never before had she receive something so fine.

"I love you," she whispered against his warm lips locked against hers, she deepened the kiss as he leaned into her, his blade sliding out of his lap and her sliding onto it.

"Have you no respect, jeezus she's my sister," Adam called over at them. Alexis reached down, and found a stone then threw it in Adams general direction all without breaking the kiss.

The rock clanked against Gimlis helmet.

"If you two love birds will allow it we need to be moving on, Gandalf has found the path again."

Alexis lost count, they stopped every seven hours to rest and sleep some, not wanting to linger anywhere to long.

They were forced to stop for an hour when they came to a place where there were three doors and Gandalf did not remember which way they were to go.

Alexis did not mind the dark, she rather liked it but the constant press of earth disturbed her and she couldn't sleep well, even in the arms of Boromir.

They continued on for another two or maybe three hours until they left a tunnel that opened up into a vast area. Gandalf held out his staff and even with the brighter light they could see nothing but columns upon columns all huge and dark reaching up to heights they could not see and reaching out to walls they could not fathom.

"Wow, this must have taken forever to build?" Alexis praised thinking of Gimlis ranting of dwarven culture in a new light.

Gimli let out a shout, she could a light ahead, before the others could react Alexis sprinted after him into the room, stopping short at the sight of the tomb.

"Oh Gimli babe, I'm sorry." She placed her hand carefully on his back, trying to comfort him in the discovery of the death of his kin.

Gandalf lifted up a large, thickly bound book and began reading the last accounts of what had happened to them.

They all jumped when a loud banging and clattering of a skeleton and a bucket fell down a well, compliments of Pippin.

"Oh Pippin," Adam muttered shaking his head and leaning over to look down the well.

They stood there for a few moments as the echoes fadded, "Maybe nothing heard it," Sam broke the silence after awhile. Everyone was too afraid to utter even a syllable more. Gandalf angrily stepped forward and yanked his staff and hat out of poor Pippin's hands.

A loud thumping froze them all in place.

"What the fuck was that," a shiver of fear slithered down Alexis's spine as she reached out and grasped Boromirs sleeve tightly.

Some screamed in the distance and was echoed by an answer.

"Orcs" Legolas drew his bow.

"Bar the doors! Get back, over by Gandalf" Aragorn cried out.

Boromir and Adam ran forward, Alexis and Aragorn tossing them scattered polearms.

Boromir leaned out but then quickly jerked his head back in as two arrows hit where his head had been. "Great, a cave troll."

The ringing of swords being drawn could be heard in their small barricaded room. The door didn't hold long, the first orc that came through got an arrow in the head. And then all went to hell and chaos. The large beast, that Alexis assumed was the cave troll entered the room.

Alexis shouted for Sam and the other hobbits to move as the troll went after them. Boromir grabbed onto the chain leas and began to pull it back. Alexis hacked and swung her sword falling into the patterns that had been drilled into her body. The stench of burning flesh cause her to nearly gag, Adam was throwing fire.

She brought her shield up around her and the creature took notice of it as a blue luminescent light began to glow around her. There were to many of them, she couldn't see Frodo anymore, just hoped he was alright.

She looked up in time to she the troll through Boromir into the wall by the chain then collapse on the ground, shaking his head.

Alexis roared a feline scream and beheaded the orc bearing down on him, "Get up Boromir, if you stay down you'll die. Move!"

She grabbed his upper arm and pulled him up then out of the way. Legolas was now on the trolls shoulders, Adam was standing next to Frodo, shoving him behind a pillar with Merry and Pippin.

She heard Aragorns name being shouted as she tried to make her way over to them, Alexis pulled a knife out of her belt and leapt onto the trolls back stabbing it into his hide as it plunged a spear into Frodo's gut. Her left arm throbbed painfully and now completely useless. She let out a shout of protest and anger as she was flung backwards and skidded against the stone floor, scraping her face.

Breathless she staggered over to them, her sword in its sheath and her left arm clasped painfully to her chest. She fell against the pillar as she Frodo standing on his own, and exchanged puzzled looks with Adam as Aragorn lifted Frodo's shirt.

Boromir stumbled forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. She looked up into his face and held him closer.

"We must move, onto the brig of Kaza-Dum." Gandalf's voice quavered with shock and fear. Adrenaline pumping, they wasted no time in getting out of there. Alexis, unable to shift with a badly broken arm, jogged along side of Adam's lion carrying a half conscious Frodo on his back.

It wasn't long before they were surrounded, they swarmed down like ants from an ant hill, surrounding them but not attacking. To Alexis's annoyance, Boromir and Adam both shove Alexis behind them with the hobbits. She dredged up as much power as she could find and created a barrier between the orcs and themselves.

Something rumbled in the depths of the cave, the vibrations sending small quakes rippling over the shield. They all backed up to stand with Gandalf as the orcs fled to safety.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir what they were all thinking.

"Something made of fire and dark, I can feel it's power within my own, Gandalf it's calling to me," Adam whispered amazed, holding up his hands as the were lit with flame.

"It is a Balrog, a demon of the ancient world, this is beyond all of our powers combined, run."


	12. Chapter 12

Gandalf raced off in front of them, not giving them time to think. Alexis stumbled as Boromir nearly toppled off of a broken stair. Gandalf shoved Aragorn forward, "Alexis, Adam with me, hold the arrows off," he shouted.

Alexis threw up a shield over the group after crossing the gap, the creature roar shook the caves causing large pieces to fall from the top. Aragorn and Frodo teetered periously on the broken staircases but managed to leap the gap.

As they ran down through the weaving tunnels they could feel the heat growing at their backs. The creature became visible as they crossed narrow bridge. Alexis stopped, realizing Adam and Gandalf were not behind her. She ran back out across the bridge, summoning her power as Gandalf raised his sword and staff. Adam threw up a wall of flame just as the creature attacked and what force she could pull out of her well Alexis shoved it in front of the two of them.

The impact of the attack shattered her shield; she stared as Gandalf raised his staff.

"You shall not pass!" his voice echoed in the caverns above and below them. A bright light illuminated blinded them as his staff crushed down and destroyed the bridge under the dark creature. Alexis's legs wobbled underneath her as she fell to her knees, meeting her brother's relieved smile. None of them saw the whip of embers shoot out of the darkness until Gandalf was pulled back. Alexis screamed as Adam whirled around and grasped the old wizards arms with his. As if in slow motion she watched as her brother and Gandalf were pulled over the edge and into the darkness below.

Emptiness filled her chest as she threw herself forwards, reaching out with everything she had, mind, heart and body. She screamed even louder as she saw her brother sailing downwards.

"Don't leave me Adam, you said you said no don't," she screamed out at him in her mind.

"I love you my twin, run for me and live, I regret nothing," then it was gone. The small light that was always in the back of her mind was gone.

Someones arms were around her, pulling her up and back, she stumbled up as Aragorn lifted her off of the ground and fled, carrying her. She never stopped screaming.

Aragorn fell onto the ground, loosing his balance on the stones, "Up, Alexis we need you. Up, get them up Boromir," but Alexis heard nothing. All she felt was emptiness, they weren't gone, they could not be gone.

She remembered nothing of the next few days, occasionally a voice and someone holding her as she cried. She couldn't speak; if she spoke then she would not feel him and would have to return to a place where Adam and Gandalf were not.

Alexis let Aragorn bind and treat her wounds with out remark or protest after they passed the borders of the woods. Something was silently moving through the forest above them.

"My cousin, my kin I welcome one of the ancient blood line that has not been seen for many a hundred years." A voice echoed through her mind.

"Get out," Alexis shoved her away letting her mind fill with wonderful dark nothingness. She looked up through her lashes at the arrows pointed at them, she followed the shaft of the arrow and her eyes met the elfs. The elf jerked backwards, away from er and several more arrows were directed at her. The intensity of her silver and gold eyes bored into each of them.

"Get those fucking arrows out of my face dipshit or I will freeze you all to hell," she growled, glaring and trying to control the anger rising up in her.

"Do not act rashly Lexy or these pointy ears will put a blade in your back," Gimli growled from next to her.

Alexis did not listen she just walked which ever way Boromir tugged her, ate what food was put into her hands and drank what water was offered. She felt nothing, not tired, not weary, never hungry, or thirsty just nothing.

She could hear her name mentioned in conversations but never participated, she wouldn't sleep because every time she closed her eyes she saw her brothers face. Something jolted her out of her stupor, a light bore through her mind. Alexis looked up examining her surroundings, not remembering where she was.

Boromir was clutching her hand tightly, she looked over at him and squeezed his hand softly. She heard a voice in her mind, the tingling of silver bells of light holding the emptiness of the dark at bay.

"The enemy know you have entered her, what hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine there are before me and yet eleven there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf for I much desire to speak with him." The man wreathed in silver spoke.

"Gandalf the Gray did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into shadow," they seemed stunned and the mention brought tears and opened the wounds in their hearts.

"A servant of shadow and flame; a Balrog of Morgoth, for we went needlessly into the net of Moria." Alexis could see Legolas lift his head high as if trying to defy the path they had all taken.

Anger rose up in her chest and lashed out, Alexis jerked away from Boromir and grabbed the front of Legolas's tunic jerking his face inches from hers. She bored into his eyes with her fey ones.

"Don't you dare speak of blame, Gandalf and my brother gave their lives for this quest, we all knew this could happen to any of us. So keep your trap shut elf boy," Legolas stumbled back as she let go, the wrath and hate in her startleing him.

Alexis's gaze swept over the fellowship before she left the room, going back down the stairs and taking a seat on the bottom step.

"Alexis, come here," she looked up as Aragon walked down the stairs and stood before her, she stood and let him pull her to him. "Hush now, I know it hurts. Like something was ripped from your chest. Dear one, Legolas is grieving your brother and Gandalf were very dear to all of us." She broke down in, his arms being the only thing holding her up.

"Aragorn we tried so hard, I tried to stop it but I couldn't. I saw the whip in the darkness but I couldn't reach them in time, I wasn't fast enough. He told me," she hiccupped, trying to breathe through her sobs, "he told me to let him go, to run and live. He wanted me to live without him, he's always been there even when we were apart he has always been there. I could always feel him but now I cant, where his fire was is nothing." They sat there for awhile, Aragorn hushing and rocking her as silent tears trickled down his face.

"I'm sorry, Aragorn I know Gandalf was very dear to all of you. I'm sorry I'm being selfish," she stood, pulling him up off of the steps. "I should go apologize to Legolas," the fellowship had passed them on the stairs but did not disturb them a while ago. Alexis walked down the path they had gone. There were tents set up in the dim clearing, everything felt so peaceful, serene and full of grief. Legolas was standing with his eyes closed as the music filled the air.

Alexis set her hand gently on his arm, hesitating a little. "Legolas," she whispered, unsure if she should disturb and feeling guilty for doing so. The elf turned his head and looked at her, his eyes held so much pain that it made her chest ache. She didn't anything, nothing she said could heal the hurt he felt. She just reached out and gave him a brief hug.

"When I was little, my dad said hugs were the most precious gift God had given us. He told us that they were the one thing everyone could share and the one thing everyone always needed. I'm sorry, I acted rashly and what I said was mean, will you forgive me?"

"All is forgiven my dear friend," he hugged her back.

Boromir was sitting alone, his back turned and shaking with silent sobs. Alexis watched as Aragorn walked over and sat down next to him, she would see Boromir later. Her pack was leaning against a tree next to a very comfortable cot. Alexis took her bag and walked over to an elf that was observing them.

"Is there a place where I can bathe?" the elf nodded and led her away.

The water was neither cool nor warm as she plunged in scrubbing every bit of her skin, the water growing murky from the dirt. As she scrubbed over the cuts and bruises on her abdomen she paused. There was no way she could have gain weight. She placed her hand on the raised area she had never noticed before. She froze thinking, when had she had her period last, it had been awhile but she had been so tired and busy she had never really noticed. There was that one period before they reached the mountains where she felt woozy for a week or so but she put that off as weariness.

"Oh shit," she whispered. She opened a bottle sitting on a rocky ledge next to the pool and poured some of the contents into her hair, scrubbing hard then ducked under the water. She leaned back, looking up through her multi colored hair, she had forgotten about the dye. It had been forever since she last looked in a mirror. When Alexis got out of the water she pulled on the soft robe sitting near by. A woman walked up to her, carrying a basket.

"Miss Alexis, I was bid to bring you some clean clothes," she sat the basket on the stone bench.

"Thank you," she had barely gotten the words out before the elf left the enclosed area. She dressed quickly, pulling on the deep green tunic and trousers then pulling on her well worn boots. A polished silver mirror hung above a table, Alexis wandered over and looked in it. She hardly recognized herself; her skin was sun tanned, opposed to its usual white. Her eyes were a bright blue with golden flecks and her hair hung in long wet clumps past her shoulders. She looked incredibly thin, her once heavier frame had melted away to a lanky body of strong and much used muscles. Her hands were hard and callused. Her arm was nearly completely healed, she rotated her forearm wincing at the pain the simple motion caused.

She took a pair of scissors out of her bag and began to cut her hair so it hung just above her shoulders. Alexis took out one of the decorative combs and used it to help her trim her bangs. Removing a piece of leather she dampened it and used it to pull her hair up into a high ponytail.

She dug through her pack until she found a pair of shorts she had never worn and put them on instead of the trousers. She managed to string and tighten the corset the elf had provided with one hand and laced up the tunic. Finally having the chance to she found her razor.

Carrying her bag over her right shoulder and her boots cradled in her arms she walked back to the camp bare foot in her shorts and clean clothes. Her pack was much lighter now, the elven woman had taken every cloth item out of her bag.

Most of the others were asleep when she got there; from the fresh smell in the air they had taken the opportunity to bathe too.

She woke up the next day feeling completely at peace, stretching she stood up and walked over to where Aragorn sat smoking his pipe. She crouched down in front of him, "Hey, whats up? Where do they keep the food in this joint?" He smiled, taking the pipe out of his mouth.

"We will all go over together when the hobbits rouse themselves. And don't wake them up, they are tired, how are you feeling today?" she sat down cross legged in front of him, placing her chin in her cupped hands.

"Better, more at peace. I don't know how to describe it, it still hurts but it doesn't. It's kinda like it happened years ago instead of recently," she gave him a weak smile, "how about you? I know your trying hard to be the strong one but it's ok to lean on us too."

He nodded, "I feel hopeful, the despair has weakened. The darkness is growing closer, Lexy, we need to be more cautious than ever when we leave here."

"Don't change the subject bub, I know you feel more than you say but guys always seem to do that and you never came off as the chatty-kathy sort." She giggled imagining Aragorn dressed up in blond pigtails and a pink dress.

Merry leaned on her shoulder, "Hey Strider Sam's awake. Now can we eat?"

Alexis gave him a suspicious look, "By what way did Sam wake up?"

"Get that thing out of my shirt!" Sam's voice echoed. Alexis and Aragorn stood up and watched as Sam was jumping around with Frodo trying to reach down his shirt. There was something obviously moving inside of it.

"I think Merry and Pippin thought it would be funny to put a fish down Sam's shirt." Alexis said dryly and at the same time trying not to laugh. "Well then, since Sam's awake too then lets eat, I'm starving."

On their way back from breakfast, with their stomachs full and their hearts a little lighter the same elf that had led them to the city appeared. Alexis watched him cautiously as he approached them, she squeezed Boromir's hand tighter. Boromir stepped forward next to Aragorn and in front of Alexis.

"Hello friend, how may we help you?" the elf looked at him coldly.

"The Lady wishes to speak to Miss Alexis this morning, I am to take you to her," he nodded at Alexis behind Boromir.

"Alright, I'll see you guys later," the elf led her to a secluded area. In the center stood what she though was an elaborate bird bath.

"I am Haldir of the Galadhrim, Alexis we have heard of you from Lord Elrond. You are brave for one so young, I apologize for your losses, please take a seat. She will be with you shortly."

"Uhm, thanks," she walked over to a stone bench and perched on the end.


End file.
